India might have made merry at the Motera pitch while outplaying England in the opening Test but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was still not impressed with the track here and said he wants all the wickets to turn from the first ball itself.
‘I don't even want to see this wicket. There wasn't enough turn and bounce for the spinners. Hopefully in the coming matches we'll see the wicket turn, right from start, or as soon as possible so that the toss doesn't become vital,’ Dhoni said after the nine-wicket win over England here. ‘What we want to see is two good sides competing against each other with the toss taken out of the equation,’ he added. India took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series after rolling over Alastair Cook-led England for 191 in the first innings and then 406 in the second after scoring 521 for 8 declared and 80 for 1. Dhoni said the ICC match referees cannot question turning tracks.
‘I don't think the match referee can question a pitch just because it's turning. When the wicket seams right from the first delivery nobody asks questions. What you don't want is ridges in the wicket and then one ball hits your head and next your toe,’ the India captain said. He was not worried that matches, on such turning tracks, would end in three or four days as he felt the importance of the toss would be gone.
‘At times, in the subcontinent, on pitches like this, the toss becomes vital. The only way to take the toss out of the equation is to have pitches that turn right from the start. The game may end in 3.5 days, but both teams will have an equal opportunity to win the game,’ added Dhoni. Dhoni said his team had to really work hard for victory here though they made England follow on 330 runs behind. The visiting team's captain Alastair Cook (176) and wicketkeeper Matt Prior (91) led a splendid fight back in the second innings.
‘It was not so easy. We were on the field for two, two-and-a-half days. The bowlers had to bowl very patiently. (Pragyan) Ojha bowled close to 80 overs, Ashwin bowled 72 overs. And they were supported well by the fast bowlers. As the game progressed the pitch got slower and slower. I don't think there was much turn. The odd ball turned but there wasn't enough bounce for the edge to carry to the slip fielder. It was about keeping one or two deliveries out and you were set for the game.’ Dhoni said.
‘I don't even want to see this wicket. There wasn't enough turn and bounce for the spinners. Hopefully in the coming matches we'll see the wicket turn, right from start, or as soon as possible so that the toss doesn't become vital,’ Dhoni said after the nine-wicket win over England here. ‘What we want to see is two good sides competing against each other with the toss taken out of the equation,’ he added. India took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series after rolling over Alastair Cook-led England for 191 in the first innings and then 406 in the second after scoring 521 for 8 declared and 80 for 1. Dhoni said the ICC match referees cannot question turning tracks.
‘I don't think the match referee can question a pitch just because it's turning. When the wicket seams right from the first delivery nobody asks questions. What you don't want is ridges in the wicket and then one ball hits your head and next your toe,’ the India captain said. He was not worried that matches, on such turning tracks, would end in three or four days as he felt the importance of the toss would be gone.
‘At times, in the subcontinent, on pitches like this, the toss becomes vital. The only way to take the toss out of the equation is to have pitches that turn right from the start. The game may end in 3.5 days, but both teams will have an equal opportunity to win the game,’ added Dhoni. Dhoni said his team had to really work hard for victory here though they made England follow on 330 runs behind. The visiting team's captain Alastair Cook (176) and wicketkeeper Matt Prior (91) led a splendid fight back in the second innings.
‘It was not so easy. We were on the field for two, two-and-a-half days. The bowlers had to bowl very patiently. (Pragyan) Ojha bowled close to 80 overs, Ashwin bowled 72 overs. And they were supported well by the fast bowlers. As the game progressed the pitch got slower and slower. I don't think there was much turn. The odd ball turned but there wasn't enough bounce for the edge to carry to the slip fielder. It was about keeping one or two deliveries out and you were set for the game.’ Dhoni said.