Ganguly Calls for “Good Wickets” as India Dominates England with Pace Attack

Vizag, India: Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has sparked a debate on pitch preparation after India’s pace attack dismantled England in the second Test at Vizag. Following India’s dominant display, Ganguly took to Twitter to express his belief that pitches in India should be more balanced, favoring both pace and spin.

“When I see Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, and Mukesh bowl… I wonder why do we need to prepare turning tracks in India,” Ganguly wrote. “My conviction of playing on good wickets keeps getting stronger every game.”

His statement comes after India bundled out England for 253, taking a crucial 143-run lead. Jasprit Bumrah was the wrecker-in-chief, claiming a six-wicket haul, while Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with three scalps. Notably, the pitch at Vizag has shown minimal turn, favoring the pacers significantly.

Ganguly further emphasized the impact such surfaces have on batting quality. “Batting quality dropping because of pitches in last 6 to 7 yrs at home… good wickets are a must,” he added. He expressed confidence in India’s spinners even on non-turning pitches, stating, “They will get 20 wickets on any surface with Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep, and Axar.”

Ganguly’s comments have reignited a long-standing debate about pitch preparation in India, where traditionally spin has played a dominant role. While some support his call for more balanced surfaces, others argue that utilizing home advantage is crucial in Test cricket.

The second Test in Vizag is a crucial one for India, as they look to consolidate their lead and build on their recent Test series win against Australia. Whether Ganguly’s call for “good wickets” resonates with the cricketing community and influences future pitch preparations remains to be seen.