They say there is no value of pitch. They are illiterate people" - Basit Ali slams PCB with example of Chennai surface for IND vs BAN 1st Test 2024
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali slammed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the home pitches for Tests using the Chennai surface of the India-Bangladesh first Test as an example. Pakistan recently suffered a shocking 0-2 home Test series defeat to Bangladesh.
However, Rohit Sharma's men had no problem defeating the same opponent in the first Test by a massive 280 runs. The contest saw an even contest between bat and ball, with pacers and spinners equally effective.
Basit Ali praised the Chennai pitch for the India-Bangladesh first Test while slamming the PCB for a lack of knowledge on the importance of pitches on his YouTube channel
He said as quoted by NDTV:
"In our nation, they say there is no value of pitch. They are illiterate people. The one who have played cricket with pride are there on the Board (PCB). This is what I get angry. What are you teaching to kids. 50 per cent of the issue is solved if you read the pitch well, ask Sunil Gavaskar and Javed Miandad. But they don't understand."
"Bumrah picked 5 wickets in the game, Ashwin took 6 wickets, Jadeja clinched 5, Siraj took 2 and Akash Deep claimed 2 wickets. This is the account of 20 wickets. The bowlers ticked all the boxes. India played two spinners, keeping in mind that the ball will spin and it happened. So the credit goes to the pitch curators, who know how to make a Test match surface. Not like us... I am not going to that side but I am filled with anger," added Basit Ali.
Even for Bangladesh, the wickets were spread between the three pacers (11) and off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz (3).
Yet, the wicket also assisted stroke play, evidenced by Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant's second-inning centuries and Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto's 82.
"Indian bowling unit is so impactful that they are on the level with pacers Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, and Waqar Younis" - Basit Ali
Basit Ali praised the Indian bowling attack, calling them on par with Pakistan's legendary trio of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar.
While the pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep picked up eight first-innings wickets, the incredible spin twins, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja combined for nine second-innings scalps.
"The Indian bowling unit is so impactful that they are on the level with pacers Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, and Waqar Younis. Right now, Mohammed Shami is not playing," said Basit Ali.
Team India will look to complete the series whitewash when the second Test starts in Kanpur on September 27.