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I hope this isn’t swept under the carpet
It should not surprise anyone that there was a problem with the pitch at the Ferozeshah Kotla. Even during the Champions League in October, the pitches came in for criticism. Anil Kumble comments.
It should not surprise anyone that there was a problem with the pitch at the Ferozeshah Kotla. Even during the Champions League in October, the pitches came in for criticism.
What shocks me is how things haven't been set right from then to now. I read that they had relaid the pitch and that is something I can't understand. A poor pitch does not need to be relaid, it just needs better and more preparation. In fact Delhi hosted an ODI against Australia after the CLT20 bash on a slightly better prepared pitch and that sort of work should have been continued.
The Delhi Ranji Trophy team hasn't played a single game at the Kotla this season and the only reason for that must have been the relaying of the pitch for the international game. Only in India is the home team's interests kept aside for the sake of an international match. I have not seen this sort of thing happening in English County cricket, where the local side rules.
Had the pitches been properly worked on and a couple of Ranji games played there, these sort of embarrassing situations could have been avoided. I only hope the incident is not swept under the carpet, or forgotten, when the next series comes along. I understand the ICC will have a role to play now and let's see where it all leads.
The answer to such things is to professionalise matters. It's the only way to bring in accountability. Under the existing system, the secretaries, curators, pitch committee - none can be held accountable. Get the pros in, make them accountable and you will see the changes happening for the good. That this happened at one of my favourite venues is sad indeed. The real losers here are the paying public, the people of Delhi. They deserve better.
As far as the series itself is concerned, there wasn't too much difference between the two sides. Sri Lanka really challenged India but I thought the host team did well to hold its nerve in crucial moments.
