Playing on turning tracks is fine, but won’t appreciate Test matches finishing in 2.5 days: Gautam Gambhir

Indian Cricketer Gautam Gambhir. (Photo by Amal Ks/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

After an embarrassing defeat at the hands of Australia in the third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, many former cricketers have been very vocal about Indian players being average against quality spinners in the series. However, former India international Gautam Gambhir doesn’t agree with that and mentioned that players like Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are excellent players of spin and if they weren’t, then the cricketers wouldn’t have been so successful.

Gambhir also pointed out that DRS has played a huge part in batters flopping against spin bowling. He believes not a lot of people talk about it as the batters had to change their technique because of the DRS system. Notably, earlier players emphasized playing on the front foot with many decisions going in their favour due to benefit of doubt.

None of the matches in the ongoing series has crossed the three-day mark: Gambhir

“I don’t think so. People like (Cheteshwar) Pujara, (Virat) Kohli, Rohit Sharma are good players of spin bowling. If they weren’t, they won’t have played in 100 Tests (Pujara and Kohli have featured in 100+ Tests so far). You have to be very good player of spin and fast bowling to reach that mark. One thing that has changed is that the DRS has played a massive role. When there was no DRS and no LBW on the front foot, a lot of times you had to change your technique as well. People don’t talk about that too much,” Gambhir told Sports Today.

Meanwhile, Gambhir also insisted that Test matches shouldn’t end in just 2.5 days. None of the matches in the ongoing series has crossed the three-day mark and that has disappointed the former cricketer. He bats to have spin-friendly tracks but also expects the game to last longer.

“I feel, yes, playing on turning tracks is fine, but I won’t appreciate Test matches finishing in 2.5 days. We want to see tight finishes, like the one we saw in the New Zealand vs England Test. (If a Test goes to) 4th or 5th day, it is fine. But 2.5 days is too short,” the 41-year-old added.

Notably, the pitch in Indore (third Test) has faced the wrath of the ICC, as the governing body slapped three demerit points and rated the pitch of the Holkar Cricket Stadium as ‘poor’.

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