In an exclusive chat with Sports Tak, former India captain and legendary batter, Sunil Gavaskar slammed International Cricket Council (ICC) for penalising Indore's pitch and handing it three demerit points. On Friday (March 03), Australia bulldozed India by nine wickets in the third Test in two days and a little over an hour on a rank turner, which as per ICC provided undue advantage for spinners. Notably, 14 wickets fell during Day 1. A total of 31 wickets fell during the third Test match, out of which 26 were snared by the spinners while just four wickets were taken by pacers as one was run out.
“One thing I would like to know. There was a Test match in November in Brisbane, Gabba. The match finished within two days there and who was the match referee there and how many demerit points did the pitch get there? I think three demerit points is a bit harsh. On this pitch the ball did turn but it wasn't dangerous. Australia got to 77/1. The pitch got better with time," Gavaskar had told Sports Tak on March 03 (Friday).
Former Australia captain Mark Taylor didn't agree with Gavaskar's remark and lashed out at the Indian legend for citing the example of 'Gabba.
"I think they've got to keep an eye on that sort of stuff because people look at the Gabba this season. The groundsman there just got it wrong," Taylor was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald
"He left too much grass on it but, in a way, it didn't favour either side. It would have favoured the South African seamers just as much (as Australia) because they've got four very good seamers.
"So I don't think there was any skulduggery going on at the Gabba. I think with Indore, I hope I can say the same thing there, but what happened there, the pitch was so poorly prepared it actually made the game a bit more of a lottery, which didn't favour India at all.
"It probably brought Australia's spin bowlers into the game a lot more than they (India) thought it was going to," the former Aussie skipper added.
India currently leads the series 2-1 with the fourth Test scheduled to be played in Ahmedabad, starting Mach 09.
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