Legendary India cricketer Ravi Shastri blasted the scheduling of the India-South Africa Test series as he called the two-match series a “waste of time”. South Africa outplayed India completely in the first Test while the Rohit Sharma-led side claimed a historic win in the second Test match that lasted for just 107 overs. Shastri said on commentary that India should focus on playing either ‘T20Is and Test matches or ODIs and Test matches’ while touring and just refuse to play any two-match Test series in the future.
“After watching this Test series, the Indian cricket establishment should make sure to never play just two Tests. If some country invites you for a two-Test series, say, ‘We won’t go’. Two-Test match series are a waste of time. It’s neither here nor there. Focus should be on either playing T20Is and Test matches or ODIs and Test matches. They could have easily played three T20Is and three Tests,” Shastri said on Star Sports.
Meanwhile, India skipper Rohit Sharma called out the International Cricket Council (ICC) as well as the match referees over the standard of rating pitches after the second Test.
The second Test at Newlands, saw India claiming a seven-wicket win with a total of 642 deliveries bowled in both innings. The Test was the shortest in the history of red-ball cricket, eclipsing the previous shortest involving Australia and South Africa in 1932 in Melbourne (656).
After winning the shortest Test in history, Rohit opened up on the criticism of some Indian pitches for being rank turners favouring the hosts.
“I mean, we saw what happened in this match, how the pitch played and stuff like that. I honestly don’t mind playing on pitches like this. As long as everyone keeps their mouth shut in India and don’t talk too much about Indian pitches, honestly,” Rohit said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.
“Because you come here [in Test cricket] to challenge yourself. Yes, it is dangerous. It is challenging. So, and when people come to India, it is again pretty challenging as well. Look, when you are here to play Test cricket, we talk about Test cricket, the ultimate prize, Test cricket being the pinnacle and stuff like that. I think it’s important that we also stand by it.”
When you are put up against, a challenge like that, you come and face it. That’s what happens in India, but, in India on day one, if the pitch starts turning, people start talking about ‘Puff of dust! Puff of dust!’ There’s so much crack here on the pitch. People are not looking at that,” Rohit added.
(With ANI inputs)
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