Ahead of the India vs England 4th Test, which is scheduled to commence from Thursday (March 4) in Ahmedabad, former Pakistan captain Inzamam-Ul-Haq refused to give credit to Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel for their superb show in the third Test while criticizing the pitch used in the match in Narendra Modi stadium.
The pink-ball Test match saw India wrap up a 10-wicket-win inside two days – the quickest Test win in 54 years and Inzamam joined the bandwagon and like many several former cricketers and pundits, he criticized the vicious turning track used in the third Test.
The Pakistani legend is unable to digest the fact that a Test match got over in two days.
“No one could have thought, and neither can I remember when was the last time a Test match got over in two days. Did India play that well or was it the behaviour of the wicket? Should such wickets be part of Test matches? I thought India were playing some brilliant cricket. They beat Australia earlier and made a brilliant comeback in the second Test, but preparing such a wicket, I feel is not the right thing to do with cricket,” Inzamam said on his YouTube channel.
Also, Inzamam urged ICC to take some action against it.
“Even scorecards in T20 matches read better than the one we saw in Ahmedabad. The ICC should take action on this. What sort of wickets are these that a Test match cannot even last two entire days? 17 wickets falling in less than one day… what are we playing on here? Sure, you take home advantage, spinning tracks should be made, but this sort of pitch I don’t think should exist,” the former Pakistan skipper said.
Inzamam even refused to applaud India’s spinners for getting the better of the English batsmen.
“If Joe Root is picking up five wickets in six overs, you can imagine the condition of the wicket. Why should I praise R Ashwin and Axar Patel, when Root is picking up 5/8? Test matches have so many important elements, the venue, the ground, the umpire, referee, so a pitch should also hold some significance. Test match should look like a Test match. Don’t think India would have derived the same satisfaction from this win as they did after beating Australia,” Inzamam said
