Michael Vaughan calls India’s win in Ahmedabad pink-ball Test “shallow”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan called India’s victory over England in the Ahmedabad pink-ball Test “shallow”. He also slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC) for allowing India to “get away” with producing pitches not good enough for Test cricket.

India thrashed England inside two days in the pink-ball Test at Ahmedabad earlier this week. The Test saw 28 out of the 30 wickets that fell picked up by spinners as India took a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.

The surface drew mixed reactions from cricket pundits. While some cited England batsmen's poor technique against spin as the reason, many slammed the nature of the surface.

In his column for TheTelegraph, Michael Vaughan expressed his displeasure with the ICC and wrote:

“The longer powerful countries like India are allowed to get away with it, the more toothless the ICC will look. The governing body are allowing India to produce whatever they wish, and it is Test cricket that is getting hurt.

“Perhaps it will take broadcasters to ask for refunds for things to change. They accept Test finishing early because the players are not good enough, but not when home boards produce such poor pitches. They are left with three blank days but are still having to pay for production. They will not be happy and might think twice about good money for Test rights.”

While calling India’s win “a shallow victory”, Vaughan admitted that Team India’s skill levels were far better than England’s for such conditions.

“India won the third Test, but it was shallow victory. In fact, there was no winners from that game at all,” Vaughan started his column with these words, before adding, “Yet, India showed their skill. We are not being fair if we do not accept that their skill levels in those conditions are far better than England’s. But the good of the game needs to be looked at, and as ex-players it is our duty to call it out.”

No winners this week ... My reasons why the @ICC have to act fast to stop India & other teams producing very poor pitches in the future https://t.co/hoxBhFF4fB @TelegraphSport !! #INDvENG

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 26, 2021

Deduct India’s points in World Test Championship: Michael Vaughan

The defeat in the day-night Ahmedabad Test has knocked England out of the race for the ICC World Test Championship’s final berth.

Meanwhile, India have climbed to the top spot and a win or a draw in the next Test will see them qualify for the grand finale at Lord’s.

Michael Vaughan believes that ICC should deduct India’s points for producing such surfaces which he deems unfit for Test cricket.

“If you have a World Test Championship, you need to deduct points for producing surfaces that are not deemed good enough for Test cricket.

“But it is also a real concern for the game that we have seen India respond to going 1-0 down by producing pitches which turn prodigiously from ball one and which they know full well will only last two or three days,” added Michael Vaughan, who has led England from 2003 to 2008.

Michael Vaughan also blamed England’s rotational policy and opined that the side deserved to be in the position they are in at the moment.