India skipper Rohit Sharma feels there was nothing wrong with the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium pitch as planning is the key to success on spin-friendly sub-continental wickets. Before the start of the opening Test, there was a debate in the Australian media about the pitch that the hosts had prepared turning pitches to trouble the visiting team’s left-handed batsmen.
But Rohit scored a century of 120 in India’s first innings before being bundled out for 400 while the Australians were bundled out for 177 in the first innings. After winning the first Test by an innings and 132 runs on the third day itself, Rohit said that a batsman needs to adopt some unconventional methods to score runs on such pitches. He said, “The kind of pitches we have been playing on in India in the last few years, you need to adopt some non-traditional methods to score runs and a little planning has to be done. ,
Rohit said, “I have grown up playing in Mumbai where pitches take a lot of turns. You also have to be a bit unorthodox, use your feet. There is a need to create pressure on the bowlers by doing something different. In this different thing, do whatever you feel like using your legs, sweep shots, reverse sweep shots. He is very happy to score a century as he has missed a few Tests in the recent past.
He said, “Yeah, considering a lot of things in the past, it was a special century. The start of the series is very important for where we stand in the World Test Championship table, so it was important for us to start well. Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin shone in the spin department but Rohit credited the opening pace duo of Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj for getting them off to a great start.
He said, “The first two overs of the fast bowlers were important. Two wickets for two runs, starting the match like this, you dominate. The opponent comes under pressure from there. “Rohit said,” We knew that our spin department is excellent. But even fast bowlers can be dangerous on this type of pitch. Australian captain Pat Cummins also believes that the pitch was turning in the first innings but it was not that it could not be played on.
He said, “Sometimes in India, the match turns very fast. They (India) played very well. It is always difficult to play spinners when the pitch is turning. Rohit played very well. “He said,” The wicket was taking spin in the first innings, but it was not such that it could not be played on. We should have scored more than 100 runs. It’s hard to start here. Cummins praised debutant off-spinner Todd Murphy, who took seven wickets for 124 runs.
He said, “Murphy was brilliant in his debut. He impressed. He bowled a lot of overs. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was adjudged ‘Player of the Match’ for his figures of seven for 81 and a crucial contribution of 70 runs. He said it was a dream come back after nearly five months away from cricket following knee surgery. Jadeja said, “Looks great after five months, gave 100 per cent, took wickets and scored runs. It’s a great feeling. When I was in NCA, I worked very hard.
