Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, Boycott defend Motera pitch

AHMEDABAD: The pitch that was used for the third Test between India and England here has drawn polarised reactions from commentators and former players. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said that the reason for the match ending inside two days is that the batsmen were unable to play spin rather than the pitch. "You need to use the depth of your crease [to play spin]. So, there comes your footwork. On fast bouncy pitches it is more a matter of your courage. These kinds of pitches, it is a test of your skill," Gavaskar said during television commentary. "Which is the reason the batsmen who can score runs on these pitches, are the real batsmen."

Former India captain Sachin Tendulkar said during the first day's play that he wouldn't be surprised if the pitch did not change colour during the match due to the stadium's proximity to the Sabarmati river.

"I have noticed that the Sabarmati river's close proximity to the ground, will continue to bring in moisture. As a result of this, don't be surprised if the colour of the wicket continues to remain the same throughout the game. #INDvENG," Tendulkar tweeted.

Interestingly, England batting great Geoffrey Boycott said that it was a simple case of India being better than England. "There is nothing in the rules that says what type of pitch should be prepared. We had first choice of the surface and they were better than us. Simple," the former England captain said in a tweet. IANS

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