Mohinder Amarnath urges ICC to look into the type of pitches used
Mohinder Amarnath has appealed the ICC to keep a close eye on the pitch quality after the Wanderers wicket was deemed "poor" by the ICC. The former India player has also heaped praise on Virat Kohli, who was the highest run-scorer in the series, and suggested Indian players learn from him.
India visited South Africa with the heavy hope of winning their first-ever Test series on the South African soil but the team managed to win only the last Test after conceding the series by losing the first two games. The win was special for the side because they achieved it on the unusual track at the Wanderers which was offering extra bounce and exaggerated seam movement. Even the third day of the game was called off early due to the uneven bounce on offer. After the end of the series, everyone criticized the nature of the track and Amarnath also voiced his opinion against it.
"With a little luck in the earlier games, India might have won the series. The pitches right through the series were not really great for international cricket and I think the ICC should look into the type of pitches used, not only in this but in all series, to ensure that the pitches are of a good nature so that one can get a good five days of cricket," Amarnath wrote in his column for TOI.
Throughout the series, the pitch was not very favourable for batting, but the Indian skipper became the highest run-getter in the series scoring 286 at an average of 47.66 which included a fighting century in Centurion. And the gap between him and the next best batsman in the team was clearly visible with Hardik Pandya being the second highest scorer from the Indian side with 119 runs including a 93-run knock in the first innings of the first Test. Amarnath, who had 4378 Test runs in his account with 11 centuries, suggested the Indian side needs to learn how to score runs on the overseas tracks from their skipper which would be a great help going into the upcoming tours.
"I was always sure about the bowlers doing well; it's the batting that was going to be challenged. The batsmen need to take a leaf out of Virat's book, and apply themselves the way he did," Amarnath added.
"He was the standout player for me, a class apart, showing temperament, technique, and spirit, and that aggression is the best defence on difficult tracks and against some really good fast bowling. This is how the rest have to go about the game: play their shots, score runs or things are not going to work. Aggression and positivity are the two things needed to do well abroad."
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"Bhuvneshwar was absolutely fantastic in the two matches he played. He was spot on with his length and control, and also contributed with the bat. Shami was also exceptional, as was Bumrah. On the whole, the bowlers played their part well. The good thing is that India has pace bowlers with variety, and consistency has been the key to their success. So it's a good sign for India going forward on their overseas tours," wrote Amarnath.
After the Test series, the Indian cricket team will play six ODI games starting on February 1 in Durban. Amarnath feels that the win in the series’ last Test will boost the morale of the visitors which will help them start the limited-overs series on a positive note.
"This win is a good one for India to take
"There isn't much difference between the two sides, but I still feel that India have the edge. They have a good