“Come on! Who makes all these rules?” - When an annoyed Ravichandran Ashwin shot back at England journalist over ‘good Test wicket’ query
Pitches always seem to grab everyone's attention whenever a Test match is played in India, as the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have made it a habit of running through opponents. The ongoing Test series between India and England is no different, even if ‘Bazball’ does seem to be the bigger focus as of now.
In 2021 though, the surfaces used for the India vs England series made a lot of headlines. A few former cricketers from the visiting side made critical observations about the nature of pitches on offer.
For the record, India dominated proceedings and won the four-match series 3-1. Ashwin was the leading wicket-taker with 32 wickets, while Axar Patel claimed 27 scalps in his debut Test series.
At a press conference after India thumped England inside two days in the Day-Night Test in Ahmedabad, a member of the English media asked Ashwin whether he felt that the Ahmedabad pitch was a ‘good Test wicket’ and also whether there was a ‘contest between bat and ball’.
Clearly annoyed with the queries being more around the surface than India’s win, the off-spinner shot back by asking the journalist:
"I have a question back. What is a good cricket surface?"
The scribe replied:
“I am the one asking the question…good contest between bat and ball?”
Ashwin then gave the England journalist a long sermon on good pitches:
"Yes, of course. The bowlers want to win the game. The batsman needs to bat well to get runs. No question about it. What makes a good surface? Who defines this? Seam on the first day and then bat well and then spin on the last two days? Come on! Who makes all these rules. We need to get over it and not talk about whatever picture you want to paint.
“If you're asking if it is a good Test surface, I don't see any of the players coming from England having an issue with the surface. They want to improve. They look like they want to have a contest. Is it the players and the people who are reporting back that want their players to not complete and complain about the pitches? Because we have never done that on any of the tours."
The fourth Test of the 2021 series was also played in Ahmedabad, with India registering victory by an innings and 25 runs.
Ravichandran Ashwin is one short of 500 Test wickets
Ashwin has had a mixed time in the ongoing India vs England series. The 37-year-old has claimed nine wickets at an average of 36.33 from two Tests. The off-spinner picked up six wickets in the first Test in Hyderabad and three in the second in Visakhapatnam.
The veteran is one short of completing 500 Test wickets. In 97 games, he has 499 scalps at an average of 23.92, with 34 five-fers and eight 10-wicket match hauls.
During his three-wicket haul in Visakhapatnam, Ashwin became India’s leading Test wicket-taker against England. He has 97 scalps, surpassing Bhagwath Chandrasekhar (95).