"If it were Virat and Ravi, then definitely it would have been rank turners" - Sanjay Manjrekar on pitches for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar has claimed that the pitches on offer for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy would have been rank-turners had Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri still been at the helm.
The new think tank took over from Shastri and Co. after the 2021 T20 World Cup and has only overseen two home Tests so far. Team India won the home series against Sri Lanka by a comfortable 2-0 margin, with the surface used for the second Test in Bengaluru offering spin right away.
The day-night contest ended within three days and the pitch was awarded a below-average rating.
The customary “this doesn’t look so bad” pitch inspection as the Aussies get their first training session in Nagpur underway #IndvAus https://t.co/LaiFB7D2yl
Noting that he is skeptical over how the new team management will approach the task of curating the pitch, Manjrekar said in an interaction with ESPN Cricinfo:
"Considering that there is so much build-up, anticipation and because there is so much respect for the Australian side, India have always wanted or desired pitches that turn from Day 1. That just makes their job a lot easier."
Manjrekar continued:
"If it were Virat and Ravi, then definitely it would have been rank turners, pitches that would turn from the first session. How will this management approach, I am not sure, but let us brace ourselves for pitches that will turn from Day 1."
The era in which Kohli and Shastri represented India as captain and coach, respectively, was crucial to India marking their presence in overseas conditions and continuing their dominance on home soil.
Shastri recently stated that he wants pitches that offer turn from the word go to put the visiting Australians under pressure.
"They have just struggled to survive, forget about scoring quickly" - Sanjay Manjrekar on Australia's chances with an attacking approach
Australia's glaring record in India since 2004 has forced the Aussies to dedicate a large chunk of their preparation towards tackling spin bowling.
Steve Smith has proven to be an excellent player of spin, but the rest of the batting unit will have put up a performance of a lifetime to thwart the Indian spin bowling unit.
Australia’s batters have revealed how they'll approach India's imposing spin attack in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series
@david_schout | #INDvAUS
cricket.com.au/news/australia…
Admitting that adopting an aggressive approach like England on turning tracks will not go well for Australia, Manjrekar said:
"The big difference between pitches in Pakistan and India is the turn, the difficulty factor for the visiting teams. The history of all touring sides coming to India, they have just struggled to survive, forget about scoring quickly and getting the runs on the road. Even when Pakistan played in the UAE, those pitches allowed the opposition to get runs on the board."
Noting that even the high-flying England under Ben Stokes will be flustered with their 'Bazball' approach on rank turners, Manjrekar continued:
"England looked to dominate in Pakistan, but the pitches allowed them to do so. The same England side, if they have the same tactics, against India on the kind of pitches that we have had, I remember they tried to do it with Buttler, who attacked the spinners during the 2016 tour and failed badly at it.
"So, Australia, whether they are capable of doing what England did in Pakistan, I don't think it should be compared because the pitches are totally different."
India will take on Australia in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from February 9 onwards in Nagpur.
Who will win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy? Let us know what you think.
Also Read: 3 reasons why Josh Hazlewood's absence from 1st Test is a big blow to Australia