Farokh Engineer lashes out at Team India for preparing a rank-turner in Pune

Former Indian wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer has lashed out at the team management for preparing a rank turner in Pune which handed the Australians their first win on Indian soil in 13 long years. He also criticised the star-studded Indian batting line-up for their poor shot selection which eventually cost them their first Test loss in more than one and a half years. Team India slumped to a humiliating loss as they were bundled out for 105 and 107 in both their innings within 74 overs which handed Australia a convincing win by 333 runs margin.

“I am totally shocked. I watched every ball in this game, the first ball turns square, you don’t prepare a Test match wicket in this manner. You prepare a Test match wicket to last five days,” Engineer, told reporters after India’s loss in Pune. “Umesh (Yadav) and Australian quicks (pacers) got the wickets. As it so happened Australians won the toss and decided to bat. I think the whole thing misfired in our faces, we never expected.

“We were too complacent, our spinners are the best in the world, (Ravichandran) Ashwin, (Ravindra) Jadeja, they are fantastic bowlers. We missed so many chances. Looking at Australia’s fielding, close-in fielding, I remembered of Eknath Solkar’s days. They were not taking catches they were making catches, which put them in strong position,” he further added.

Engineer urged the team to learn from their mistakes and never prepare a pitch like this where the ball will turn viciously from the opening day onwards. “Our first innings problem was when (KL) Rahul got out and he played a silly shot and that started the debacle. When you are set and you know that a fresh batsman will come, you do not play such a shot. I hope the captain has ticked him. You just don’t do that,” Engineer said.

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“We were playing, (like) we are playing IPL. Good bowling. You have to give Australians credit, they outplayed us. It hurts me as an Indian. We were humiliated and this is not (what) we expected after great performances against England and New Zealand,” he concluded. India will face Australia in the 2nd Test of the 4 match series at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru starting from 4th March.