MUMBAI: On the eve of the first Test match between India and England in Chennai, starting 5 February 2021, the curator appointed by the BCCI went against the directions given to him by the Indian team management and altered the nature of the pitch, a move that wrecked Team India’s strategy the next morning going into the game.
Some damning revelations are coming forward and TOI understands that those who were gravely affected by this move on part of the BCCI curator are willing to come and speak in the open should the cricket board call for an investigation.
“Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun were at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk on the evening of February 4, a day before the start of the Test against England. The head coach and the bowling coach explicitly told the curator and the groundsmen that the pitch should be left the way it is, and the water and roller should not be used. Having conveyed it with absolute clarity, they left the stadium with the rest of the team,” sources who were present at the venue that evening say.
After Shastri and Arun left the venue, the BCCI curator who was present there told the groundsmen that he had been ‘asked’ by a ‘higher authority’ to water the pitch and roll it. He did so without being questioned by the local groundsmen who have no authority on these matters except listening to instructions.
There are those who want the BCCI to investigate ‘who made the call that evening to the curator’.
“He (curator) watered the pitch, brought out the roller, and the next morning, the wicket was a ‘paata’ (flat deck),” sources added.
England won the toss and elected to bat first on a track that resembled a highway. Riding on Joe Root’s 377-ball 218, the visitors posted 578 runs on board and eventually won the Test match.
Absolutely miffed at the curator’s gaffe – intentional or not, is something that requires a thorough investigation – the Indian team management asked the BCCI to replace the curator.
“Ravi and Arun were absolutely livid with the curator for not heeding to the team management’s instructions. It was done deliberately, and that curator clearly received a call and was asked to do this. The curator must be questioned who instructed him to act against the Indian team’s best interests. It was an extremely serious misdemeanour,” say those in the know of these developments.
The team management then spoke with the BCCI and made an official request to change the curator. Certain officials in the BCCI – unaware of the ‘mess’ – arranged for another senior curator to take charge and the pitch for the second Test was prepared in line with the Team India strategy.
R Ashwin walked away with eight wickets and Axar Patel seven as India levelled the four-Test series 2-2 with a 317-run win and went on to clinch the series.
“Who made the call to the curator? This must be investigated. This has so many layers of wrongs attached – 1) hurting the Indian team’s interests, 2) going against the directive of the team management, 3) outside interference in the game.
TOI also understands that should the BCCI begin asking questions, the Team India management during that series too will be willing to help the Board find answers. The last time Indian cricket heard something like this was when a state association president had deliberately prepared a green track ahead of a Test match 17 years ago and India lost the game at home.
Some damning revelations are coming forward and TOI understands that those who were gravely affected by this move on part of the BCCI curator are willing to come and speak in the open should the cricket board call for an investigation.
“Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun were at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk on the evening of February 4, a day before the start of the Test against England. The head coach and the bowling coach explicitly told the curator and the groundsmen that the pitch should be left the way it is, and the water and roller should not be used. Having conveyed it with absolute clarity, they left the stadium with the rest of the team,” sources who were present at the venue that evening say.
After Shastri and Arun left the venue, the BCCI curator who was present there told the groundsmen that he had been ‘asked’ by a ‘higher authority’ to water the pitch and roll it. He did so without being questioned by the local groundsmen who have no authority on these matters except listening to instructions.
There are those who want the BCCI to investigate ‘who made the call that evening to the curator’.
“He (curator) watered the pitch, brought out the roller, and the next morning, the wicket was a ‘paata’ (flat deck),” sources added.
England won the toss and elected to bat first on a track that resembled a highway. Riding on Joe Root’s 377-ball 218, the visitors posted 578 runs on board and eventually won the Test match.
Absolutely miffed at the curator’s gaffe – intentional or not, is something that requires a thorough investigation – the Indian team management asked the BCCI to replace the curator.
“Ravi and Arun were absolutely livid with the curator for not heeding to the team management’s instructions. It was done deliberately, and that curator clearly received a call and was asked to do this. The curator must be questioned who instructed him to act against the Indian team’s best interests. It was an extremely serious misdemeanour,” say those in the know of these developments.
The team management then spoke with the BCCI and made an official request to change the curator. Certain officials in the BCCI – unaware of the ‘mess’ – arranged for another senior curator to take charge and the pitch for the second Test was prepared in line with the Team India strategy.
R Ashwin walked away with eight wickets and Axar Patel seven as India levelled the four-Test series 2-2 with a 317-run win and went on to clinch the series.
“Who made the call to the curator? This must be investigated. This has so many layers of wrongs attached – 1) hurting the Indian team’s interests, 2) going against the directive of the team management, 3) outside interference in the game.
TOI also understands that should the BCCI begin asking questions, the Team India management during that series too will be willing to help the Board find answers. The last time Indian cricket heard something like this was when a state association president had deliberately prepared a green track ahead of a Test match 17 years ago and India lost the game at home.
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