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Was MCA asked by Indian team management to make a rank turner in Pune?

India's shambolic defeat at the hands of Australia in Pune in the first Test brought massive criticism to the 'very dry' pitch.

New Delhi, Feb 27: India's shambolic 333-run defeat at the hands of Australia in Pune in the first Test brought massive criticism to the 'very dry' pitch.

India-Australia Series schedule</a>; <a href=Photos " title="India-Australia Series schedule; Photos " />India-Australia Series schedule; Photos

The 22-yard surface was the cynosure of all eyes from the very first day of the opening Test at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, that was hosting its maiden Test match.

Was MCA asked by Indian team management to make a rank turner in Pune?

India lost 20 wickets in just 212 runs, their worst performance ever at home, to add more insult to their injuries, the Indian batsmen were outplayed by a little known Steve O'Keefe, who took 12 wickets and wrapped up the match with in three days. O'Keefe got the maximum purchase from the pitch that was a rank turner.

However, Indian spinners failed to judge the nature of the pitch and kept bowling the way they bowled over normal Indian pitches and paid the price.

Even before the start of the match spin legend Shane Warne, who was in the commentators' panel during the match for the pitch report, said, "It looks like a day five pitch at the start. The toss is going to be very crucial. If you take the advantage so much, it looks to even out then."

"We have seen turning pitches in India but this is extreme," said Sanjay Manjrekar on commentary.

Now, reports are claiming that the Indian team management was of the view of making it a rank turner.

As per a report published in the Indian Express, MCA curator Pandurang Salgaoncar refused to pay heed to the request of making a turner. Later, a member of the Indian cricket team management took the matter to Daljit Singh and Dhiraj Parsana, members of the BCCI pitches committee. The duo, it is reported, did not agree with the demand.

"When the MCA refused to prepare a rank turner, the senior member of the team management took the issue to the state association curator Pandurang Salgaoncar. When he too resisted, the matter was placed before the BCCI curators (Parsana and Daljit), but even they were a tad reluctant. Then, the BCCI management (not the Committee of Administrators, the cricket board employees) came into the picture. The ground staff had been ordered to remove the grass completely. Things were hijacked from the local curators," The Indian Express quoted a MCA member as saying.

Earlier, a report published in ESPNcricinfo stated that Salgaoncar refused to talk about the pitch, when contacted, after the match was over.

ESPNcricinfo report further claimed to have learnt from sources that over the four days leading upto the Test, the pitch got only about half the water it gets before a usual first-class match. Brushes were used to remove the grass and rough the pitch up. Only 2mm grass was left. Information of highs of 37 degrees over the week was readily available on every weather forecast site.

However, after the match when Indian skipper Virat Kohli was asked about asking for a rank turner he outrightly rejected it.

"I don't know. I didn't speak to anyone," Kohli said at the press conference.

"I don't think it was any different from the turners that we played in the past. We just didn't play good cricket. You can ask me any sort of questions or any perception about the loss. We know exactly what happened, the mistakes that we made. External perceptions don't matter to us; they have never mattered to us," Kohli said about the nature of the pitch.

The Pune strip, before this match, had a reputation of assisting pacers.

OneIndia News

Story first published: Thursday, August 3, 2017, 7:44 [IST]
Other articles published on Aug 3, 2017