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SPORTS JANUARY 12, 2024 | The Indian Eye 44

the game plan that they had for the
game. “We knew it was not gonna be
a high-scoring game. So, all we want-
ed to do was stay disciplined in how
we bowl, not get ahead of ourselves
and try and do too many things. Once
we got them all out for 55, we spoke to
the batters that we needed small con-
tributions in this game,” Rohit said.
However, South Africa skipper
Dean Elgar labelled the Newlands
pitch as a “ripper” following India’s
seven-wicket victory on Thursday in
the second Test.

On a surface where the ball
played all kinds of tricks on the
batters, India made short work
of the hosts with the ball on the

second day, despite a heroic
ton by opener Aiden Markram,
and chased down a paltry tar-
get under 11 overs.

Elgar talked about the surface
which made it hard for the batters to
score each run. “It was a bit of a rip- Mohammed Siraj celebrates after taking down his fifth wicket in the first innings (ANI)
per. Naked eye, it looked like it’s go-
ing to be a nice one. It played totally
different to what everyone thought. rank turners favouring the hosts. “I remain neutral. bounces as much as the surface at
Unfortunately, we were on the re- mean, we saw what happened in this “I think it’s important that we Cape Town.
ceiving end, a big learning curve for match, how the pitch played and stuff stay neutral everywhere we go. Espe- “Honestly, I would like to see
the future. If you ask Rohit, he’d like that. I honestly don’t mind play- cially the match referees. You know, how the pitches are rated. I want to
have batted first as well. They just ing on pitches like this. As long as some of these match referees need see that. Whatever... that chart, I
out-skilled us in that first session.” everyone keeps their mouth shut in to keep their eye on how they rate would love to see it, how they rate the
The experienced left-handed India and don’t talk too much about pitches. It’s quite important,” Rohit pitches, because Mumbai, Bangalore,
batter went on to talk about their Indian pitches, honestly,” Rohit said said. Cape Town, Centurion, all different
overall performance which saw them as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. “I still can’t believe that the venues, overhead conditions are dif-
on the losing side inside two days. “Because you come here [in Test World Cup final pitch was rated be- ferent. The pitches deteriorate quite
Still, he was upbeat to take a lot of cricket] to challenge yourself. Yes, low average. A batsman got a hun- fast when the sun is beating down
positives from the game. it is dangerous. It is challenging. So, dred there in the final. How can that that hard on the pitch. And in India
“A tough one for us. Pretty posi- and when people come to India, it be a poor pitch? So, these are the as well, we know that the conditions
tive coming into this game. The first is again pretty challenging as well. things the ICC, the match referees, in India will spin without a doubt, but
innings killed us with the bat. India Look, when you are here to play Test they need to look into and start rat- obviously people don’t like it because
bowled fantastically and used the cricket, we talk about Test cricket, the ing pitches based on what they see, it spins from day one. But that’s not
conditions. Still a draw, still a lot of ultimate prize, Test cricket being the not based on the countries. I think the point. If the ball seams from ball
positives for the young players that pinnacle and stuff like that. I think that’s quite important. So I hope one, that’s okay, right, for everyone?
we have within the side. 2-0 would it’s important that we also stand by it. they keep their ears open, they keep That’s not fair. The ball starts spin-
have been really nice, would have When you are put up against, a chal- their eyes open and look into those ning from ball one, it should be okay,
tasted a lot better today, still man- lenge like that, you come and face it. aspects of the game. Honestly, I’m in my opinion,” Rohit said.
aged 1-1, proud of the boys. The way That’s what happens in India, but, in all for pitches like this. We want to “Otherwise, you stay neutral,
the bowlers bowled in this series and India on day one, if the pitch starts challenge playing on pitches like this. and you start rating this kind of pitch-
the way Aiden batted in the second turning, people start talking about We pride ourselves playing on pitch- es also bad, because if you want the
innings is something out of the world. ‘Puff of dust! Puff of dust!’ There’s so es like this. Uh, but all I wanna say is ball only to seam and not turn, in my
Later, Rohit Sharma called out much crack here on the pitch. People be neutral,” the India skipper added. opinion, that is absolutely wrong. So
the International Cricket Council are not looking at that,” Rohit added. In the two-Test series that con- that’s my judgment, that’s my opin-
(ICC) as well as the match referees Rohit also went on to single out cluded on Thursday, South Africa ion on it. I’ll stick by it because I’ve
over the standard of rating pitches match referees and some of the rat- did not bowl any spinner at all. India, seen enough of cricket now and I’ve
after the second Test between India ings the Indian pitches received in however, bowled only 19 overs of seen enough of how these match ref-
and South Africa ended inside two World Cup 2023. The pitch for the spin in the first Test and not a single erees and the ICC looks into these
days on Thursday. World Cup final at the Narendra one in the second innings. ratings. I have no issues in how they
After winning the shortest Test in Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad was Rohit brought up this point want to rate, but stay neutral to ev-
history, Rohit opened up on the criti- rated below average. asking why a turner raises more erything that you do,” the India skip-
cism of some Indian pitches for being Rohit demanded the standards eyebrows than one that seams and per added.

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