Rohit Sharma trolls pitch critics with cheeky Instagram post ahead of 4th Test
India opener Rohit Sharma has taken yet another dig at critics who slammed the pitch prepared for the pink-ball Test in Ahmedabad.
The third India-England Test ended in under two days, with India winning the contest by 10 wickets. Batsmen from both teams struggled on the surface, following which there has been a massive uproar over the pitch.
On Sunday, Rohit Sharma posted a picture of himself on his Instagram account, in which he is seen lying on the ground. The batsman captioned the picture:
“Wondering what the pitch would be like for 4th test.”
Rohit Sharma was probably the only batsman who looked comfortable on the Ahmedabad pitch against the pink ball. He scored 66 and 25 not out in India’s victory. Earlier, in Chennai, he had scored a brilliant 161 in the second Test.
Courtesy of his good recent form with the bat in the longer version, Rohit Sharma jumped six places to move to a career-best eighth spot in the latest ICC rankings for Test batsmen.
The 33-year-old has scored 296 runs in the Test series against England so far, at an average of 59.2.
Rohit Sharma was firm in defence of the Ahmedabad pitch
Following the conclusion of the pink-ball Test, Rohit Sharma staunchly defended the surface used for the day-night Test in Ahmedabad. According to the Indian opener, the Test ended in two days because both sides were poor with the bat.
At a virtual press conference, Rohit Sharma said:
“Honestly speaking, if you look at the 30 wickets that have fallen, I don’t see anything that the pitch did. The batsmen didn’t apply themselves. It is from our side also, not just them. As a batting unit, some of the shots we played were not up to the standards.”
Terming the pitch as a normal Indian wicket, Rohit Sharma further stated:
“The pitch was completely fine. It seems a very normal pitch to me. It is a typical Indian wicket where the ball turns, the odd ball might just come in, that is what an Indian wicket is all about.”
Indian captain Virat Kohli and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have also defended the strip that was in use in the third Test. A number of former England cricketers, though, continue to express their displeasure over the surface.
Meanwhile, Team India were seen practicing in the nets in Ahmedabad on Sunday, ahead of the final Test, which kicks-off on March 4.