Legendary Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has once again raised a big question about the way Test pitches are judged around the world, as he launched a scathing attack on Australia and the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Gavaskar’s criticism came after the Australian National Cricket Team recently levelled their two-match Test series against Bangladesh with a huge innings and 51-run win in the final game. The match ended inside two days after Bangladesh were bowled out for less than 100 in both innings. Amid this, Stuart Broad raises questions over Mackay pitch after Australia’s win vs Bangladesh.
Sunil Gavaskar calls out Australia’s ‘Trampoline-Bounce’ pitches after Bangladesh rout
After the outcome, Sunil Gavaskar has taken a sarcastic dig at Cricket Australia, as he pointed out that this is not the first time a Test match in Australia has ended so quickly. The former Indian captain has highlighted that four Test matches have finished inside two days in Australia in recent years, including Ashes Test matches against England in Perth and Melbourne last year.
Sunil Gavaskar has written in his column for Sportstar: “So, another Test in Australia has finished within two days. This has happened four times there in the last few years. And we are yet to hear any criticism of the trampoline-bounce pitches that produce such results.”
He further wrote, “The excuses will come thick and fast. ‘Oh, the groundsman, sorry, turf executive, got it wrong. He went by the weather forecast, which predicted some hot weather, so he left a little more grass, and that led to the excessive bounce.”
Gavaskar launches brutal attack on ICC over Australia pitch double standards
The legendary batter feels pitches in the SENA countries, especially Australia, do not receive the same criticism that Indian pitches often face when Tests end early. He also accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of not being that strict about these Australian surfaces.
Gavaskar said, “But lo and behold, if a game finishes in three days in India, there will be all kinds of derogatory reports and insinuations made about the pitches, the BCCI and Indian cricket. The hypocrisy is so brazen that it is simply mind-boggling.
Like I said earlier, the double standards are simply staggering. Let us see what rating the match referee gives the Mackay pitch. But Indian fans, don’t hold your breath.” Amid this, Will Pucovski takes legal action against former school over concussion mishandling.
Sunil Gavaskar takes sly dig at Australia over Mackay pitch
The former Indian captain also joked that Australia’s decision to prepare a fast and bouncy surface at Mackay was not surprising after their embarrassing defeat in Darwin.
Sunil Gavaskar said, “The pitch in Mackay was no surprise. After the Aussies were humiliated by the Bangladeshis in the first Test, they were going to prepare a pitch that would be fast and bouncy. And, of course, claim that the groundsman had done it on his own and there were zero instructions from the team management. We all know what really happens.”
Australia-Bangladesh Test becomes fourth-shortest in cricket history
The Australia-Bangladesh Test ended in just 750 balls, making it the fourth-shortest Test in cricket history and the second-shortest Test ever played in Australia.
The record for the shortest Test in Australia belongs to the 1932 Melbourne Test between Australia and South Africa, which finished after only 656 balls. Overall, the shortest Test in history took place in Cape Town in 2023-24, when South Africa faced India. The match lasted just 642 balls, with India winning by seven wickets.