Ian Chappell, former Australia captain has backed the idea of curators having the freedom to prepare the pitches. Moreover, he slammed the players and administrators who demand certain kinds of pitches. Chappell's comments came after the first day of the third Test between India and Australia at the Holkar Stadium, Indore.
Chappell's comments came after the end of the first day’s play in the third Test between India and Australia at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. The Indian team were bundled out for just 109 runs on Wednesday. On the same pitch, Australia managed to reach 156/4 at stumps and finished day 1 with a 47-run lead.
"Should players and administrators be telling the curators how to prepare the pitch and what sort of pitch they want? It is the greatest bit of rubbish I have ever heard," Chappell told ESPNCricinfo.
According to Chappell, the pitch is the curator's domain and no one should interfere and make unjust demands.
"The pitch should be left to the curator. The curator produces what he thinks is a good pitch, and then you as players get on and play on it. Once you have got the administrators and cricketers telling people what they think should the pitch be, then you are asking for trouble," he added.
Chappell said pitch curators are not being given the freedom to prepare balanced pitches.
"I don't think there is a curator alive who can say to you honestly, 'look, I am going to prepare this sort of pitch' because things can go wrong very easily."
"If somebody says we want you to produce a turner, there is every chance it will turn out badly because as I say, no one can really predict – unless they are trying to prepare a good surface that suits everybody – then I think you are risking way too much.
"Any player or administrator who goes to a curator and asks for a certain type of pitch should be told to go and jump in the lake," he added.
The venue of the third Test was shifted from Dharamsala to Indore. The reason behind the change of venue was that the stadium was not fit to host international cricket after a recent renovation.
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