Amongst all the positives of the India vs England series, one lesser talked fact is that the pitches available were excellent. All the five matches lasted till the fifth day, with something for everyone. Usually when India tours overseas, the pitches tend to be in favour of the host country. But this time the pitches were not a point of contention. Former India great Dilip Vengsarkar was relieved that a good pitch demonstrated the heights Test can attain.
Dilip Vengsarkar Appreciates England’s Test Cricket Culture
“I must appreciate the culture of Test cricket in England. There were huge crowds for all the Tests, and the sporting wickets ensured that the result of all five Tests was decided on the fifth and final day. This series, which will be remembered for ages, has revived interest in Test cricket among cricket lovers. It has increased Test cricket’s importance. This shows that if you dish out good pitches, Test cricket can not just survive, but flourish too,” Vengsarkar said in an interview to TOI.
Call to BCCI for Sporting Wickets at Home
Vengsarkar said that now it is up to BCCI to prepare sporting wickets for the Test series against West Indies and South Africa at home later this year.
“I hope that India do the same in their upcoming international season (two Tests each against West Indies and South Africa) and provide good, sporting wickets for Tests. The BCCI must not pander to the short-sightedness of captains and coaches, who are just looking for short-term gains by winning matches and qualifying for the World Test Championship final.”
A Closely Fought Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Series
The Anderson-Tendulkar trophy proved to be one of the most tightly contested series ever to be contested. With all the matches extending to 5 days, the series was eventually tied 2-2, with India claiming the final game by 6 runs at the Kennington Oval in London. The series saw marvelous battles between the bat and ball, where the batsmen held the upper hand in the initial days and the bowlers gained prominence as the game intensified. The pitches made for the series, thus, also received a lot of accolades. But when it comes to ICC ratings for the pitches, the judgment is not the sweetest.
ICC Pitch Ratings: Headingley Stands Out
4 out of 5 match ratings have come out, and the Headingly pitch (first Test) alone received a very good rating. The rest of the pitches were rated ‘satisfactory’ by the topmost board.
1st Test – Headingley, Leeds
Pitch Rating: Very Good | Outfield Rating: Very Good
2nd Test – Edgbaston, Birmingham
Pitch Rating: Satisfactory | Outfield Rating: Very Good
3rd Test – Lord’s, London
Pitch Rating: Satisfactory | Outfield Rating: Very Good
4th Test – Old Trafford, Manchester
Pitch Rating: Satisfactory | Outfield Rating: Very Good
The ratings for the 5th and final Test at the Kennington Oval are yet to be confirmed.
