Indian Pitches

[icyman]

With due respect to the sides that have played in India over the last year.

I have observed that of late, Indian pitches have yielded quite a few high totals in excess of 300+.
We have had three 400+ totals. Three 350+ totals in the past 6 months.
I dont think this is because the bowlers arent sticking to thier lines and lengths.
I believe it is because of the poorly prepared pitches in India.

Nothing against the great man who scored a double century yesterday,but I feel that he wouldnt have done so had it been any pother ground which was well prepared.

Even the recent RSA-IND series has seen almost all scores swerve close to 300 or above that.

Your thoughts on this please.

Personally I feel this is a very serious issue and needs to be addressed at the earliest with the World Cup less than 12 months away.

 

[khalek]

Yeah terrible pitches, they are good for T20s but for ODIs I think 260-280 type of wickets should be made which means there will be something for the bowlers all the time to be interested in.

On these sort of pitches, bowlers start looking for the block hole from the 30th over which is not good at all.

 

[shravi]

It does need to be addressed and fast. It's not only posing a problem in the short run but also in the long run. Who would want to be a fast bowler? Running in in boiling heat on a pitch that offers you absolutely nothing. We already have a shortage of fast bowlers. We're only making it worse with these flat pitches. In the short run, it is highly demoralizing for bowlers like Mithun and Tyagi. They are already insecure about their squad selection and this will make them even more nervous and insecure. Moreover, it messes with their minds because they simply do not know where to bowl. What they though was a good area to bowl is just another 'help yourself'.

Scoring 300 used to be a massive achievement. You didn't set out to hit 300, but if you did it was sort of like game-set-match right there and then.

 

[icyman]

Should this continue the standard on INdian grounds would be 350-400 and it will be more easy to break records as well as the 500 run barrier.:doh

 

[TumTum]

Cricket Australia this summer just decided to put more grass on all the pitches and it worked out very well. I am sure BCCI can do this easily.

 

[icyman]

Nah,the BCCI wont do that. They are more worried about IPL. It seems like the BCCI enjoys killing competition.- or rather it is one sided competition.

 

[SciD]

Pitches have been like this for long time. Its nothing new. There was hardly any grass on pitches earlier and they were never rank turners also. Can you tell what exactly has changed?

 

[shravi]

Pitches have been like this for long time. Its nothing new. There was hardly any grass on pitches earlier and they were never rank turners also. Can you tell what exactly has changed?

I don't know how to use Cricinfo to do it but if I did I am 100% sure that you can find stats showing that the average scores have risen by quite a bit in India over the years.

 

[Cricketman]

In test match cricket I feel the major venues - Mumbai (Wankhede, Navi Mumbai, Barburone (sp)), Chennai, Eden, and even Mohali produce wickets that will end in a result.

In ODI's however we need to address this issue. 350 should not be scored so easily.

 

[SciD]

I don't know how to use Cricinfo to do it but if I did I am 100% sure that you can find stats showing that the average scores have risen by quite a bit in India over the years.

I am asking when were they not flat. Batsman have become bolder due to T20 and runs are flowing.

 

[shravi]

I am asking when were they not flat. Batsman have become bolder due to T20 and runs are flowing.

Doesn't matter either way. Scores are higher on average and the way to stop that is by making more bowler friendly pitches so batsmen are more respectful of bowlers, and more cautious in general.

 

[jkartik]

i still remember around 9-10 years back...we would switch off the TV if a team scored over 300 as it was 99.99% sure that its impossible to chase it down..

but these days...even 400+ can be easily chased.

i think the pitches which dont give away more 250-270 on an average
tend to have the best competition between bat and ball..

players hitting 6's and slog overs were eagerly waited for few years back...
people used to go crazy. today, its just getting monotonous and boring.

a lot of things are responsible for this.

- ROADS (i wouldnt even call them flat tracks)
- Better bats
- T20 Craze.
- Powerplays and other batsmen friendly rules.
- Tailenders improving their batting skills..

 

[SciD]

ODI = runs = money
Cricket is batsman game. Spectators come to watch runs scored. If you are not getting help for bowlers in test matches how do you expect it in ODIs.

 

[Themer]

Cricket is batsman game. Spectators come to watch runs scored. If you are not getting help for bowlers in test matches how do you expect it in ODIs.

No they don't! I hate seeing runs scored, the best part of a game of cricket is the wickets.

I much prefer to watch games where wickets are tumbling makes it alot more fun even in ODIs.

 

[Kaz Akbar]

India Pitch ----- Kaz Akbar

What is wrong with pitch that favours batsman? It's exciting for the fans and viewers watch high targets to chase