'Pitches aren't bad, it's the brains that are rotten': Ex-Pakistan captain goes ballistic on PCB over Rawalpindi pitch

The former Pakistan captain didn't mince his words as he criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board over the pitch in Rawalpindi.

The first Test between Pakistan and Australia ended in a dull draw in Rawalpindi. Pakistan, batting first, declared their first innings on 476/4 before bowling the visitors out on 459. However, there wasn't much time left in the game to induce a result after the Australian innings ended. The Pakistan openers batted the entire fifth day to ensure a draw.

Pakistan's Babar Azam, right, and Australia's Steve Smith examine pitch following overnight rainfalls before start the 4th day play of first cricket test match between Pakistan and Australia at the Pindi Stadium, in Rawalpindi. (AP)

Throughout the course of the first Test at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, the condition of the pitch came under a significant scanner. Deemed a lifeless pitch by many fans and experts alike, the first Test saw only 14 wickets falling with Australia taking only four. Many players including former Pakistan captains Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi have called for sporting pitches in the remaining two games of the series in Karachi and Lahore, and another former skipper Salman Butt has now joined the debate.

In a strong-worded criticism of the pitch conditions, Butt said that Rawalpindi is a “pitch-oriented pitch.”

“Against South Africa, Hasan Ali performed brilliantly (five-wicket hauls in both innings) in Rawalpindi. Was that stadium somewhere else? So I don't understand who is passing what information. Anyone who opens the stat will find out the truth,” said Butt on his official YouTube channel.

“Pindi is a result-oriented pitch. In first-class matches, people complain that matches end here in 2.5 days.”

Further criticising the pitch, Butt said that the people at the helm of cricket in Pakistan need to be braver.

“Please tell me what's wrong with Pakistan pitches. Pitches aren't bad, it's the brains that are rotten. The people who are at the helm of cricketing affairs.. it's their weakness in underestimating themselves that we cannot play. Imam is in the team since 2019. It's 2022 now. You don't have confidence in him?” said Butt.

“Apart from him, Abdullah Shafique is coming into the team after scoring runs against Bangladesh and the PSL. This game was treated as a practice game.”

The former Pakistan captain insisted that in the remaining two games, the pitches need to be more sporting. “I think this is not the right approach. I read somewhere that commentators were requested to not talk about the pitch. I read this on Twitter. I hope that isn't the case,” said Butt.

“You make spinning pitches. You make pitches that assist reverse swing. Make aggressive surfaces. On this surface, there was nothing for anyone.”