Pitch problem must be settled at the top
Kunal Pradhan, writing in the Indian Express , places the blame for India's problem with poor pitches on those on the upper end of the hierarchy
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
Kunal Pradhan, writing in the Indian Express, places the blame for India's problem with poor pitches on those on the upper end of the hierarchy. He says there is too much apprehension over what the track might throw up and how it may affect the home team's chances, leading the groundsmen to overcompensate one way or the other. The solution, he writes, must be the absence of any interference from the board, greater accountability and investment in greater education and research in the science of pitch-making.
In most other countries, being a pitch curator is a career option. You decide early, study the science behind the art, and spend time as an assistant before the ground is finally handed over to you. The job ensures enough money for a home and a car, and the responsibility that what you are producing is yours alone — no instructions from the board’s head honchos, no suggestions from the team’s captain, and no unreasonable last-minute requests from a spinner or an opening batsman that can’t be turned down.
Siddhartha Talya is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo