SCA hits back at Sunil Gavaskar over allegations of doctored pitches

Niranjan Shah claimed that Gavaskar himself used to demand spin-friendly tracks when he used to captain India

Niranjan Shah, the honorary secretary of the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA), has reacted strongly to Sunil Gavaskar’s comments earlier in the week when he had suggested that the SCA was preparing doctored pitches in the Ranji Trophy matches, Times of India reports.

Shah described Gavaskar's statements as "irresponsible comments" and claimed that Gavaskar himself used to ask for spin-friendly pitches in order to win matches at home in his days as captain of the Indian cricket team.

Speaking after the fifth and final ODI at Mumbai in which South Africa had scored 438 runs batting first, Gavaskar had leapt to the defence of Team India manager Ravi Shastri who had criticised the Wankhede pitch curator Ravi Naik for not preparing a strip that he had asked for. The cricketer-turned-commentator then launched a scathing attack on the SCA for preparing pitches that were aiding the spinners too much.

"We have just had a case where Saurashtra has won three of its Ranji Trophy matches in two days with Ravindra Jadeja opening the bowling. He is turning the ball square, picking up, I think, 25 wickets in three matches, he is now in the Test team, Saurashtra are in the top of the order,” Gavaskar had said.

Shah took strong exception to the allegations raised by Gavaskar and claimed that the pitches were not ‘doctored’ but simply aiding the home side, something every state association has the right to do. He even cited some matches from the past to validate his point.

"I respect him for whatever he has achieved in cricket but that doesn't give him the liberty to say whatever he wants. I strongly object to whatever he has said and also condemn his irresponsible comments which are not in keeping with the stature that he enjoys in world cricket," said Shah.

"How can he call it 'doctored pitches' when more than 250-300 runs were scored every day? One team scores 300 plus runs and the other team is bowled out for 60 and 90 - is this what happens on a doctored pitch?" Recalling few instances of the past, Shah said: "I still remember the days when Mumbai used to prepare green tops for matches against us (Saurashtra) and the match would be over in two days. Were those doctored wickets? We never complained,” he added.

Shah was aggrieved that Gavaskar found issues with spin-friendly pitches when he himself used to demand such tracks during his playing days.

“You make green tops and matches get over in two days then it is not a problem, but if the track helps spin then you call it underprepared. And Gavaskar shouldn't forget that even he has asked for turning tracks to win Test series when he was the captain,” Shah said.

"I agree that the wickets where we played our matches were turning tracks. They were by no means underprepared. Not a single delivery turned or jumped dangerously. In the match against Hyderabad, we were bowled out for 102 in the first innings. Hyderabad got the first innings lead but lost the game. It was a game which could have turned either way, so will we doctor a track to lose?" said Shah.

"On sporting tracks, a good player or a good team will always thrive. It is better than having a flat track where any Tom, Dick and Harry can score hundreds," he added.