In the aftermath of the Indian batters not being able to cope with the South African spin challenge and surrendering the first Test by 30 runs in Kolkata on Sunday, former India leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani has suggested having neutral curators prepare pitches for international matches.
The Eden Gardens curator Sujan Mukherjee was in the limelight for dishing out a pitch “exactly” like the Gautam Gambhir-led Indian team management, wanted. Cricket Association of Bengal president and former India captain Sourav Ganguly defended Mukherjee amidst the criticism that the pitch received for the match that ended before tea on Day Three.
Narendra Hirwani
Hirwani, famous for taking 16 wickets on Test debut against the West Indies in 1988 in Chennai, said: “Just like how they do for domestic matches [mainly the Ranji Trophy] where neutral curators prepare the pitch, why can’t the same be followed for Test matches so that there is no undue advantage?”
‘Turners help anyone’
Hirwani, who played 17 Tests between 1988 and 1996, picking 66 wickets, and is currently into coaching, added: “If you are a capable bowler, any pitch will look dangerous for the batsmen. But on turning tracks, even an ordinary bowler can take wickets. He’ll look dangerous as the pitch does everything for him. On flat tracks, you show your skills and that’s how one becomes a good bowler. When there is no help from the pitch, that’s when one’s bowling abilities come to the fore.”
The 57-year-old from Madhya Pradesh, however, felt that the Kolkata Test pitch brought spinners into the limelight. He said: “A good pitch has to be like the blockbuster movie Sholay, where every actor had an important role. A good pitch is where the batters, fast bowlers and spinners all have a role. Whereas, in the Kolkata Test, the batters were sidelined. Only the bowlers had a major say.”
Hirwani also questioned if the Indian players had prepared well enough for the turning track at Eden Gardens. “South Africa visualised that they’d get turning tracks in India and came better prepared. Didn’t the Indian team practise well?” questioned Hirwani, who suspects that the Indian team will again seek a “spin-friendly track” in the second Test in Guwahati from November 22 as they look to level the series.
Do away with toss
Hirwani also suggested doing away with the coin toss and letting the visiting side choose to bat or bowl first. “This will remove whatever undue advantage the home team can get from the pitch. If South Africa are visiting India, they should be allowed to choose to bat or bowl first. Likewise, if India is touring abroad, India should be given the option of batting or bowling first,” Hirwani said.