Balls Exploding From Day 1 Is Not Acceptable: Mark Waugh On The Pitches In The Last Two India-England Tests

Former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh has responded to a recent statement by off-spinner Nathan Lyon on the pitches that have been dished out by India in the last two Test matches against England in Chennai and Ahmedabad.

Ever since India rolled out a raging turner in the second Test in Chennai, there has been a lot of hoopla surrounding what constitutes a good Test match.

The hoopla reached its crescendo after India mauled England inside two days in the pink-ball Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium where 28 out of 30 wickets fell to spin.

Former cricketers like Michael Vaughan, David Lloyd, Shoaib Akhtar have criticized the pitch, claiming that it was not ‘ideal’ for Test match cricket while the likes of Nathan Lyon, Kevin Pietersen, Mike Atherton have voiced their opinion on the contrary.

Recently, Nathan Lyon was asked about what he felt about the pitch in Ahmedabad and the off-spinner responded by saying ‘I’m all for it’

Fox Cricket tweeted Nathan Lyon’s statement to which Mark Waugh replied that the ball turning from day 1 is unacceptable.

“I’m all for spin friendly pitches as well but what we saw in the last 2 Tests was going way too far. Balls exploding from day 1 is not acceptable. If these 2 surfaces are what is dished up then you are going to see 2/3 days Test matches regularly and fast bowlers being extinct,” Mark Waugh replied.

I’m all for spin friendly pitches as well but what we saw in the last 2 tests was going way to far. Balls exploding from day 1 is not acceptable. If these 2 surfaces are what is dished up then you are going to see 2/3 days test matches regularly and fast bowlers being extinct.

— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) February 28, 2021

This is not the first time that Mark Waugh has voiced his opinion against the pitches in the ongoing India-England series. After India hammered England by a whopping margin of 317 runs on a raging turner in the second Test, the former Australian batsman had taken to Twitter where he wrote that the pitch in Chennai is unacceptable at the Test level.

”I’m all for a good contest between bat and ball in test match cricket but this pitch in Chennai is unacceptable at test match level. You can’t have the ball going through the top of the surface on day 1 from the main part of the pitch. Ie not from the footmarks,” wrote Mark Waugh.

I’m all for a good contest between bat and ball in test match cricket but this pitch in Chennai is unacceptable at test match level. You can’t have the ball going through the top of the surface on day 1 from the main part of the pitch. Ie not from the footmarks.

— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) February 14, 2021

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