Sehwag calls for wickets that aid spinners
Making himself heard in a debate that will not die, Virender Sehwag has called for India to return to preparing pitches that can be exploited by their spinners
Rahul Bhattacharya in Mohali
07-Jul-2005
Making himself heard in a debate that will not die, Virender Sehwag has
called for India to return to preparing pitches that can be exploited by
their spinners.
"We should play to our strengths," Sehwag said today, after stroking a
century on a surface that, like the one at Ahmedabad, has only assisted
batsmen. "If spin is our strength then we should definitely make pitches
that take spin. What is wrong in that?"
"When we go abroad we get seaming wickets with grass. I don't know why the
groundsmen are not preparing turning tracks. This is the slowest wicket I
have played on at Mohali."
Expectedly, Craig McMillan, one of five centurions on the first three days
of this Test, went the other way. Like New Zealand coach Ashley Ross before
the match, McMillan said that India will not be a force overseas so long as
the pitches lack bounce.
"At home you are unbeatable, but as soon as the ball is bouncing above the
hips, you are struggling," McMillan said. "Over here the ball barely rises
above the knees."
"Our effort in New Zealand has been to be successful in all conditions. We
have won in England, in West Indies and drawn in Sri Lanka. A lot of the
credit for our performance here goes to the planning and dedication before
the tour."
Meanwhile, IS Bindra, president of the Punjab Cricket Association, has
apologized for the pitch. "The buck stops with me," he told the match
broadcasters in an interview, "I will make sure that Mohali doesn't have
such a pitch again."