After the first Ashes Test in Perth finished within two days, Sunil Gavaskar expressed disbelief at critics of the pitch for showing double standards. The former Indian captain remarked that the voices which shouted about the Indian pitches have not spoken up when Australia has similarly collapsed.
Gavaskar Highlights Critics’ Selective Outrage
Gavaskar in his column in Sportstar mentioned that bowlers took 13 wickets on the second day in Perth but no substantial criticism reached anyone. He observed that the hundred from Travis Head moved everybody’s focus from the uneven bounce that was there throughout the whole game. He warned that ignoring these concerns could encourage unsafe playing conditions in future matches.
Gavaskar talked about Michael Vaughan who was very vocal in Kolkata but when it came to Perth he was almost silent. He believed that the idea around “acceptable” pitches has for a long time followed choices set by traditional power centres.
Players Also Question ‘Very Good’ Rating
Earlier, Usman Khawaja tore into the Perth track despite the ICC giving it a “very good” rating. He emphasized that 19 wickets went down on Day 1 and some batters took multiple hits. Usman Khawaja argued that such erratic bounce should not count as normal for Test cricket. The quick ending of the match raised the issue of whether any uniformity exists in the way people judge surfaces in different parts of the world.
Gavaskar insisted that when a pitch offers pace and poses risks, people take it for granted, whereas if the track turns, they disapprove of it straightaway. He called for a universal framework to assess pitches objectively, removing bias from different cricketing nations.
Author’s View
The point that Gavaskar is making sounds very reasonable. If turning tracks are being criticized, then dangerous bounce should not be overlooked. The proper judgment should be the same for every venue.
