NEW DELHI: India captain Rohit Sharma maintains that turning tracks remain the team's strength and wants the struggling batters to find a way to score on them adding that he has had enough of the incessant talk about the pitches in India.
Rohit strongly indicated that another turner awaits both teams in the final Test in Ahmedabad from March 9 and his logic to play on spinning wickets is simple. The team has won 15 straight series at home and remains favourites to win the ongoing one having already retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
Speaking to media shortly after India's nine-wicket thrashing at the hands of Australia in Indore on a pitch that turned square from the first hour, Rohit said, "Before every series we usually decide what kind of pitches we would like to play on. It was our call to play on pitches like these. I don't think we are putting pressure on the batters. When we win all seems well. We are not asked about our batting."
"It is talked about when we lose. We have decided to play on pitches like these, and we know we can be challenged, but we are ready for that. Honestly the pitch talk is getting too much, every time we play in India focus is only on the pitch. We focus too much on the pitch in India. I don't think that is necessary," Rohit added.
Rohit Sharma speaks to the media after the 3rd Test against Australia in Indore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
'Former players have not played on these pitches'
The surfaces in Nagpur and Delhi too attracted attention but the one in Indore copped the most flak. The ball was turning viciously in the first half hour and uneven bounce made the task tougher for the batters.
Dilip Vengsarkar, Matthew Hayden and Mark Waugh were among the former cricketers who thought the pitch was not good for Test cricket. For the third straight time, the match ended inside three days.
Staunchly defending the team's tactics, Rohit said, "Former cricketers, I don't think they played on pitches like these. So I don't know honestly. Like I said, this is the kind of pitches we want to play on. This is our strength. So when you are playing at home, you always play to your strength and not worry about what people are talking about.
1/10:Australia crush India in 3rd Test, qualify for WTC final
<p>Read more on TOI Sports</p>Getty Images
2/10:BIG WIN
<p>Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne held their nerve on a viciously turning Indore pitch to guide Australia to a nine-wicket victory. <br /></p>PTI
3/10:LONG WAIT
<p>Indore Test win is only Australia's second Test victory in India since 2004.<br /></p>AP
4/10:IT'S 2-1 NOW
<p>After Australia were thrashed in the first two Tests inside three days, the series now stands at 2-1 to the hosts with one match remaining.<br /></p>AP
5/10:LABUSCHAGNE-HEAD SHOW
<p>Labuschagne finished on 28 not out and Head on 49, having lost opener Usman Khawaja to only the second ball of the day.<br /></p>Getty Images
6/10:MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
<p>The dogged victory secured Australia a berth in the ICC World Test Championship final in June at The Oval. <br /></p>Getty Images
7/10:BIG TASK AHEAD
<p>India will be sure of their place in the final if they win the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.<br /></p>PTI
8/10:HIGH FIVES FOR KUHNEMANN
<p>In a low-scoring and frenetic encounter, Australia skittled India for 109 on day one with spinner Matthew Kuhnemann claiming five wickets.<br /></p>Getty Images
9/10:WHAT A COMEBACK
<p>In reply Australia made a solid start before collapsing to 197 all out before lunch on day two, their last six wickets tumbling for just 11 runs.<br /></p>Getty Images
10/10:LYON-KING
<p>Eight wickets for spinner Nathan Lyon saw India bundled out for 163 in their second innings, setting up a victory target of 76.<br /></p>Getty Images"Our strength is spin bowling and batting depth. Other teams use home advantage when we travel overseas. What is wrong in that? Especially when we are getting the results.
"If we were not getting the results I would think otherwise. We are getting the results. Some batters are under pressure but that is okay. You can't have all members of your team in good form. Few will go through a rough patch but that is okay".
'Matches not lasting five days outside India as well'
Former players have also argued that games not lasting five days is not good for Test cricket in the age of T20 but Rohit feels results matter more than duration of matches.
"What can I say about that, people have to play well for the game to last five days," Rohit said when asked about games finishing early.
"Games are not lasting for five days outside India as well. Yesterday the game got over in three days in South Africa. It is about skills. People have to adapt to skills. If pitches are helping the bowlers, the batters need to try and test their skills.
1/10:3rd Test: How Nathan Lyon tore the heart out of Indian batting line-up
AFP
2/10:Lyon's 2nd-best Test figures
<p>Not for the first time, Nathan Lyon tore the heart out of the Indian batting line-up earning his second-best Test figures in the process. </p>AP
3/10:Lyon took 8/64
<p>Lyon took 8/64 in India's second innings to turn the match on its head on Day 2.</p>AFP
4/10:The tumultuous Test
<p>The tumultuous Test match fell on Lyon's well-weathered fingers to bail Australia out. </p>AFP
5/10:The perfect length
<p>Lyon found that perfect length for the pitch, bowled attacking lines and bagged the wicket if one slightly turned or went with the arm. </p>AFP
6/10:The perfect example
<p>The perfect example on Day Two of the Indore Test was the dismissal of India's wicketkeeper KS Bharat. </p>Getty Images
7/10:Defence breached
<p>The ball ripped one straight through the batter's defences by getting him to play the wrong line while thinking about possible turn. </p>PTI
8/10:Relentless spell
<p>Lyon bowled around the stumps, again relentlessly, for a majority of his spell, and let helpful pitches like the one at the Holkar Stadium do the rest.</p>AFP
9/10:Aussie spin great
<p>Lyon's bowling is a perfect reflection of the fact that he doesn't quite fit the 'flashy genius' mould of some past Aussie spinning greats. </p>AFP
10/10:Lyon and Smith
<p>Lyon found in Smith an old and able ally as a pro-active captain who kept things interesting with restrictive fields and men in catching positions to slowly strangle India. </p>PTI"It is not always about making sure we are playing on flat pitches and results don't come your way. Pakistan, there were Test matches there and people said it was boring, we are making it interesting for you guys," he said.
The India skipper had hinted that the team might simulate conditions in Ahmedabad keeping in the mind the WTC final but the loss is likely to change their plans.
India could only manage 109 and 163 in both the innings and Rohit said the batters must raise their game.
"Honesty both the innings did not go the way we would have liked to. Even in the first innings, I don't think there was a lot happening. If you look at the dismissals we played poorly. Out of the 10 wickets may one or two where the pitch did help the bowler.
"Other than it was the skill of the bowlers who outfoxed the batsman. We played poor shots as well. The way Australia played, they got out for 197. Had they not collapsed they could have gotten to 250-75 as well which would have been a damn good score on a pitch like that.
"Lack of concentration is what I would put it to. Apply yourself and bat for as long as possible and take odd chances in the middle. Do not let bowler bowl six balls in the same spot and try and to do something different, that is something we did not do in both the innings."
'Learn from Pujara and Iyer'
Rohit said there was lot to learn from Cheteshwar Pujara and Shreyas Iyer who batted in contrasting styles to take the team past 150 in the second innings. Pujara mixed caution with aggression while Iyer unsettled the Australian spinners by going for an all-out attack.
"When you are playing on pitches like these you have to play the innings that Iyer played. Someone has to step out, someone has to take on the bowlers. It can't be always that batters will get a big knock... you have to play cameos like that.
"On the other hand, you have a Pujara. Pujara being Pujara. He likes to spend time in the middle, he wants to grind it out. That his way of doing it. It doesn't have to be the same way for everyone that is what we have spoken about. Find your own methods (to score). Whether it is number 11 or number 1.
"As long as the job gets done we are happy as a unit. The runs will not come from everyone," that was a stern message from Rohit to fellow batters.
In the end, he heaped praise on Nathan Lyon, who took a match-winning eight wicket haul in the second innings, saying he is the best overseas spinner he has faced.
"Lyon should be at the top in my opinion. I have not played guys like Murali and Warne. Among the current crop he would be my number one overseas bowler to come and play here in India.
"He has got so much consistency in his line and length. When someone is bowling with that accuracy you have to try and do something different to score runs," he added.
(With PTI inputs)
