So far at this World Cup, there has been a chasm in class between India’s batters and bowlers and the rest. That state of affairs clearly doesn’t sit well with some. In the build-up to the India-New Zealand semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, much of the social-media buzz centered on the pitch chosen for the game. That it wasn’t a fresh one raised accusations of home-team favouritism and meddling.
“Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length, and has already happened a couple of times,” said an ICC spokesperson. “This change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with our host. The ICC independent pitch consultant was apprised of the change and has no reason to believe the pitch won’t play well.”
With Rohit Sharma blazing away like a Diwali firework for a 29-ball 47, Shubman Gill making 79 off 65 before pulling up lame, and Virat Kohli scripting an epochal 50th ODI hundred, it would be an understatement to say that the surface played well. Though it started to grip and turn midway through the innings, the ease with which runs came told you there was nothing remotely sinister about it.
Predictably, the source of the bleating was England and Australia. We don’t need to repeat what happened to England’s plans to ‘attack the title’, while Australia clearly see India as the main obstacle on their road to a sixth World Cup. Journalists, editors and proprietors have newspapers and digital subscriptions to sell, but when those efforts are underpinned by selective amnesia and dishonesty, they need to be called out.
It’s not as though the last T20 World Cup is ancient history. The final stages were played in November 2022, just over a year ago. Both the semi-finals – New Zealand against Pakistan in Sydney, and India-England in Adelaide – were played on used pitches. “Funnily enough, the older or more ‘used’ an Adelaide Oval drop-in pitch is, the less it tends to spin,” tweeted Daniel Brettig of The Age at the time. “The spin on the surface these days actually comes from thatchy live grass coverage rather than much wear and tear. Ask any local player.”
The ICC too had issued a clarification. “The ICC does not have a rule about the use of fresh-only or used pitches for any match in an ICC event,” the statement said. “Our requirement is for the best possible playing surface for every match. It does not necessarily follow that a ‘new’ pitch will be better than one that may have been previously used. Decisions are based on a number of considerations, including the rotation of pitches curated for a tournament and the management of the available playing surfaces.”
Then too, the English media made a hue and cry, with conspiracy theories about the ICC favouring India competing for space with other one-sided commentary. They were encouraged by Eoin Morgan’s complaints after the loss to Pakistan in the Champions Trophy semi-final in 2017. That game, at Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens, had also been played on a used pitch.
It goes without saying that there wasn’t so much as a peep about the playing surface once England romped to a 10-wicket victory over India, and then went on to lift the trophy in Melbourne. It obviously didn’t suit the narrative.
If India do make the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday, it will be because they have been the best team in the competition by the width of an ocean. Unlike other teams, they played at nine different venues in the group stage, and aced every single test. If those smarting at such excellence want to attribute it to the pitches, that’s their prerogative. But it’s also ours to point out the breathtaking hypocrisy.