In the first Test match against South Africa, Team India suffered a loss by 30 runs at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Speaking about the Indian side`s defeat, former cricketer Harbhajan Singh said pitches like these are destroying Test cricket.
While speaking on his YouTube channel, the former spinner stated, “They have completely destroyed Test cricket. Rest in peace Test cricket. The kind of work they have done, the kind of pitches that have been made for so many years now, I have been seeing it. No one talks about it because it is fine, the team is winning, someone is taking wickets, someone is becoming great by taking those wickets”.
“So everyone feels everything is going well. But I feel that this practice has not started today. It has been going on for many years, and I feel it is the wrong way of playing,” he added.
He also feels that playing on such wickets can help a team win the matches, but that team cannot really benefit from the victory, as the players are not growing as cricketers.
“You are not moving forward in any way, you are just going around in circles like an ox tied to a mill. You are winning, but there is no real benefit. As a cricketer, you are not growing,” said Harbhajan.
The 45-year-old former cricketer also pointed out that there is no use in playing on such wickets where batsmen look “clueless” about their approach.
“I feel it is high time to see and reflect on this, that playing matches on such pitches where your batsmen are not even sure how to score runs, and you are making them look like they do not know how to bat. Then what difference remains between a capable bowler and a capable batsman if the conditions become so favourable that people are getting out because of the pitch and not because of skill? It is sad to see how Test cricket is being played. I don`t know why we are doing this,” said the cricketer, who has featured in 103 Test matches for India.
The second Test match between Team India and South Africa is scheduled to be played from Friday at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati.
(With PTI Inputs)