Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has said that management and not India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin ask for spinner-friendly wickets, adding that the Chennai-born is under more pressure to deliver on tracks like those.
Gautam Gambhir added that wickets have been the same for everyone but it’s the DRS that can have helped former spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh get to 1,000 and 700 wickets respectively.
“From that point of view, I do agree with Yuvraj Singh, but from the point of view that had they played on these kinds of pitches, probably not. Because see, wickets have been the same for everyone. Ashwin doesn’t ask for these kinds of wickets, it’s the team management that asks for it. And when you prepare such wickets, Ashwin is under more pressure to deliver,” Gambhir said on the ‘Runorder’ show on ESPNCricinfo when asked if he agrees with Yuvraj’s tweet.
“Yes, wickets are different today but DRS today plays a huge role. Had there been DRS when Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh was bowling, Kumble would have gone to 1000 wickets and Harbhajan would have got around 700 wickets because DRS plays a massive role especially in India where there are a lot of inside edges, or bat pads and stuff,” Gambhir added.
As many as 30 wickets fell inside 2 days as India took a 2-1 lead in the 4-match Test series by defeating England by 10 wickets in the Ahmedabad Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Very recently, Ashwin had counter-questioned an England journalist who wanted to know his views on the pitch debate. “Who defines what a good surface is? Ashwin had asked. In the same press conference, he had asserted that people should get over the talks about the surface and should just hope for a good cricket match.
