After thrashing South Africa by seven wickets in the first two days at Newlands, Cape Town, the Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma demanded fair treatment regarding the pitches' ratings in red-ball cricket. But, English star Jonny Bairstow fuels 'pitch talk' with his latest remarks ahead of England's tour of India 2024.
India beat the Proteas in Cape Town after a huge defeat in the first match at Centurion's SuperSport Park. It was a mixed performance from India but the pacers produced a positive display on South Africa's pace-friendly pitches.
But not India host England in a five-match Test series starting on January 25 and everyone is wondering about the hosts' plans with pitches. Indian pitches during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 were criticized by many as games finished within the first three days.
Pitches will be under scanner and Bairstow believes that slow pitches will have a negative impact on in-form Indian pace attack.
"India can produce different pitches, it doesn't have to turn," Bairstow told Sky Sports. "We've seen how potent their seam attack has been recently. Look, I'm sure the pitches will turn: it's whether or not they'll turn from day one, which potentially negates a bit of their strength in their seam attack. We know how strong they are."
Bairstow, who has a poor record of 389 runs in 14 Test innings in India, also highlighted India's strong spin attack in Test cricket. He also pointed out that India's squad will speak the potential nature of the pitches and playing conditions.
"Obviously, the last time Axar and Ashwin played well. You forget that in that first Test match, the guys played really well, Rooty (Joe Root) got a double in the first Test match in Chennai and then conditions changed quite drastically. We know that it's the quality spinners, especially in India, we know that they are going to come at us. Whether Axar plays, whether he doesn't play. Whether Jadeja plays or Kuldeep plays, who knows? We'll have to wait and see. But there's no point in overthinking things before their squad's announced before we see the pitch and the conditions that (are) in front of us," Bairstow added.
