The ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 is in full swing. All teams have played at least four matches each and there is a clear division between the teams that have done well and the others. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team and 2019 runners-up New Zealand have looked their best so far with no losses at the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The Indian cricket team started its campaign with a win against Australia in Chennai in October. It then defeated Pakistan on October 14 in Ahmedabad. It also defeated Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Of the four venues where the Indian cricket team has played, two – Chennai and Ahmedabad – have been given an ‘average’ rating for their pitch by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Until October 15, these were the only two pitches at the Cricket World Cup that were rated ‘average’. The others were rated ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
The ICC’s average rating for two pitches involving matches in India has not gone down well with head coach Rahul Dravid, who on Saturday ‘respectfully disagreed’ with the world body and said an ODI match is not just about batters and their pyrotechnics.
India bowled out Pakistan for 191 in 42.5 overs in Ahmedabad, while the hosts bowled out Australia for 199 in 49.3 overs in Chennai.
“I certainly respectfully disagree with the average rating given for these two wickets. I think they were good wickets. If you only want to look at 350 (run) games and rate only those wickets as good, then it’s me I don’t agree with that. I think “You also have to see different skills,” said Dravid.
“It’s not about whether we just want to see 4s and 6s being hit, then we also have T20 wickets, where, honestly, in Delhi or in Pune, there’s probably over 350 wickets too. Only those are good wickets , why?” Are the bowlers here? Why do we even have spinners?”
Dravid said an ODI game is all about showcasing the different skills of players and not just about batting.
“I don’t agree with that (just hitting), because I think we have to show all the skills, the ability to rotate the shot through the middle. See the quality of watching (Ravindra) Jadeja bowl or a ( Mitchell) Santner bowl or an (Adam) “Zampa Bowl or watching Kane Williamson spin the strike through the middle, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul as they batted against Australia. Those are skills too. They also need to come out and be shown and displayed,” he said.
“Some of the wickets, even we have played, I mean, honestly, in Delhi and Pune, rotating the strike in the middle overs was not necessarily a very difficult skill. The match was about who could hit the most 4’s and 6’s So that’s not the only way to judge wickets respectfully in my opinion. I think we need a better way to decide what’s good and average.
“Sometimes wickets will turn a little, sometimes they will seam a little, they will sway a little, they will bounce a little. All we want to see is sixes and fours being hit in 350 scores as good wickets, then I disagree.” the former India captain added.
With PTI inputs
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