Sourav Ganguly feels Indian pacers should be more consistent

Former Captain Sourav Ganguly feels that India should not only rely on their spinners, especially Ashwin to come up with five-wicket hauls on rank turners or good pitches to turn matches in India’s favor every time.

Speaking on the eve of first Test between England and India at Rajkot, Ganguly told that Ashwin cannot be expected to take fivers to finish the match in three days, as the pace trio of Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma failed to produce wickets at key times as England went on to pile a massive first innings total of 537.

“On a Day 1 pitch like this (Rajkot), the fast bowlers need to come into play. That’s why I keep harping that play on good pitches in India, so that you learn how to play overseas,” Ganguly told ESPNcricinfo.

Always a straight-talking person, he pointed out that the pitches that India played on in South Africa (2015) and Australia (2013) were ‘minefields’ (term used to refer to underprepared pitches). And it would be good for Kumble and the team if Yadav, Shami and Ishant can pick up 3 wickets on good pitches, just to be prepared for the worse.

“We played South Africa. Four Tests on minefields and it doesn’t help anyone. If India play 5 Test matches on good pitches and Anil Kumble gets Shami, Yadav and Ishant to pick three wickets on the first day, India will become a better side. Because you don’t expect Ravichandran Ashwin or a Ravindra Jadeja on a flat pitch against a good batting side to pick five wickets. They might do it once or twice but it is impossible for them to do it consistently,” he stated.

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Ganguly also pointed out that if the skipper hands over the ball to a spinner on a rank turner and he helps finish the match in 3 days, it won’t help the cause much.

“No point just tossing the ball up to the spinners and pitches which turn square from Day 1. You win and go home. It doesn’t help anyone and it doesn’t help this young side. I am happy that they are going through this grind. It’s a young side. You don’t need to win Test match in 3 days, you need to win Test matches in five days, you still won a Test match.”

In recent times, former players like Harbhajan Singh has been critical of the pitches that have been prepared to play on and Ganguly also spoke on the same notes, saying finishing a match in 3 days when playing at home won’t prepare the team for the tougher situations.

“It’s still early days in this match but I completely agree that pitches against Australia and South Africa were absolute minefields. I remember the Test match in Delhi (vs Australia) where it ended in 3 days. You can’t produce Test pitches like these. I believe what’s happening is good for Indian cricket.”

Ganguly, who currently holds the post of CAB presidency, said that the approach of young captain Kohli impressed him when the Test captain did not ask for a turner when the team played New Zealand at Kolkata and instead prepared the team to play on the pitch that was given to them.

“They played against New Zealand, I got no request from anyone. When Kohli met me, he asked me about the pitch, I said, “There’s a bit of grass on it.” I kept watching him, what he did, first hand, three days that they were training. These are signs that will help them get better.”