India’s opener Rohit Sharm has come down heavily on cricket experts who had criticised the quality of the pitch at Chepauk in the last Test against England. The pitch had started turning from the first day itself and the fact that puff of dust was exploding with some balls caught the attention of many experts, and some of them, especially former overseas cricketers deemed the pitch substandard and some went a step further to rate the pitch a ‘stinker.’
Addressing the press conference on Sunday evening, Rohit said that the pitch will offer turn and bounce has been a fact for ages and that there are no reasons the pitch in the second Test should be criticised so heavily.
"I've never understood why it's debated so much. People keep talking about it, but the fact is this is how pitches in India have been for a long time. I don't think anything should change. Everyone makes use of the home advantage. When we go outside, no one thinks about us - so why should we think of others?” Rohit asserted in the virtual press conference.
"We need to go with our team's preference. That's the meaning of home advantage. Else, just take it away. The ICC should come up with a uniform rule everywhere for pitches. When we go abroad, people make our life difficult. I don't think pitches should be debated at all. Debates can be held on players, their performances, how they are batting or bowling, but don't debate pitches. Both teams play on the same pitch and whoever plays better wins."
He added that every team has the right to capitalise on the home advantage and that the Indian team too, face it when they tour overseas and the opponent poses challenges on pitches that suit their style of playing cricket.
He asserted that India too should do it and use the best of the opportunities to drive home the advantage of home conditions and that too without any sense of being apologetic about it.
Rohit was the top scorer on the Chepauk pitch in the second Test and his innings stood apart in the first innings as most of the other batsmen, especially England batsmen were left flummoxed by the turn and bounce on that pitch.