The honesty is refreshing in this world of diplomatic double-speak, plausible deniability and generalist cover.

You are right

Sharma doesn’t indulge in doctoring the pitch

His brief is to engineer an Indian win!!

It is not an Indian perspective. There are enough Indians out there that say that India should not prepare spinning pitches and should have lively pitches. This is a hopeless argument.

Playing spin well is as much an important skill as playing fast bowling and to call it doctored just because it is spinning is pointless. It is not about Australian pitches alone, one could point out English pitches and NZ pitches too. I don’t remember anyone calling the pitches in New Zealand doctored when India toured in 2002 and both games were a lottery. If batsmen can’t cope with quality bowling on good spinning wickets why is that bad for the spectators. I enjoy watching the spinners deceive the batsmen as much as I enjoy watching batsmen score runs.

And Sampath, everyone knows who P. Kumar is but what we don’t get is how Mr. Sharma is keeping P. Kumar away by creating a pitch tailor made for Kumble. I thought t his whole argument is about Mishra and if we are talking about pacy wickets, the next person in line is RP Singh. P. Kumar is not even in the test match picture right now! Oh BTW, match fixing is if Mr. Sharma says he is preparing a fast pitch, then creates a spinning pitch and everyone involved makes money on it. To give out his intent a full week before the game starts and give the Aussies time to adjust is NOT match fixing!

P Kumar

How could you forget this 22 year old from UP and Bangalore Rotals that took 10 wkts in 4 VB Series ODIs against OZ–bowling snake balls

Praveen Kumar, that is

I never mentioned that I am spin or spinner hater–I belong to that brotherhood

Incidentally Venkat and Kumble do not belong in that elite company

Venkat bowled lower trajectory straigh spinning or off breaks

Venkat kept out EAR from playing more tests–selectors to blame

Kumble–like B S Chandrasekhar belongs to an in between spinning and fast bowling category

Medium pace straight spinning or googly bowlers

Another good one Mohan!

I am not sure what “doctoring” means in this context? This is a term that the Aussie and British press puts up to describe a manner of preparing pitches that suit the local environment and conditions and contains in it, an expression of the local people.

Why is that “doctoring”?

It is like saying that every building in Sydney has to have a Venecian look-and-feel to it!

No. The Venecian look-and-feel will remain in the environment that suits it best.

Sydney buildings will suit the environmental conditions that suit Sydney.

Similarly, Indian pitches will be (must remain to be) a reflection of the Indian expression and environmental conditions.

There is a huge push towards sameness in this globalised world. I resist that.

It is this desire for sameness that made the Conns of the world invent the world “doctoring”. It is a phrase being parroted by others in a rather blind manner!

I want Indian pitches to remain Indian pitches just as I want Perth to be a reflection of Perth!

You say, “Using Perth as an example, suggesting doctoring in Australia is folly. It does not happen.”

I accept that. Similarly, in India, “It does not happen.”

Why do you have a problem with that?

Yes. Sharma killed Australia in Perth. There is nothing in the cricket rules that suggest that Cameron White cannot kill India in Delhi! Good luck to him if he does.

Now this is what I believe needs to happen.

I do believe India needs to prepare a few fast, bouncy and seaming wickets for its local competition (Ranji, Irani, etc). This will prepare the team for when it visits Australia, England and South Africa. India has prepared a few fast, bouncy and pacy wickets! Mohali was one of them. Australia lost there.

Similarly, Australia needs to prepare a few Delhi-like spinning tracks for the Sheffield Shield. This will promote the development and unearthing of good spinners. It will also foster the development of batting technique against good spin.

Yes, my “own cricketing compatriots have suggested that India’s home wickets need to be more “global” for want of a better word to aid India’s travelling results.”

And that’s what’s happened. India has become a better traveller. India has had to become a better traveller.

However, I refuse to yield to an argument that suggests that a “spinning” track is a “doctored” track. A spinning track in India or Sr Lanka is a reflection of the local soil and environmental conditions. No wonder India and Sri Lanka produce good spinners and batsmen who can play spin. There is nothing wrong with that, just as there is nothing wrong with left-handers or off-side play! Spin, left-handed play and the off-drive are all allowed in cricket!

There is a compelling desire for “sameness” in this world. It is a cancer that needs to be eradicated. And that commences by re-educating and re-training the parrots!

– Mohan

Going back to Sampath Kumar’s points re pitch preparation you have again decided to put up each way statements.

If you cant remember various Indian curators making statements re pitch preparation that is nothing short of doctoring then your opinion is indeed select.

Using Perth as an example, suggesting doctoring in Australia is folly. It does not happen.

Perth is hard and fast, but not since drop in wickets came along. Sharma killed Australia in Perth because he is skilled and has a superb brain for his age.

Melbourne is drop in and useless.

Sydney is drop and useless.

Brisbane is brisbane. Green and seaming for two sessions and then flatening out for batsman.

Adelaide is generally a great batting deck that is getting dustier year by year.

I am more than happy that Indian’s prepare spinning wickets that a more often than not are slow and low. However your own cricketing compatriots have suggested that India’s home wickets need to be more “global” for want of a better word to aid India’s travelling results.

Could you please open your mind n this matter.

I am waiting for your defensive barrage.