Sunil Gavaskar defends Ravi Shastri in Wankhede pitch row

Gavaskar feels Shastri was entitled to raise objection to the Wankhede pitch

Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has leaped to the defence of Indian Team Director Ravi Shastri in the wake of the controversies surrounding the latter’s remarks on the Wankhede pitch after South Africa scored 438 batting first in the final ODI on Sunday, IBNLive reports.

Sudhir Naik, the curator of the Wankhede stadium has lodged an official complaint against Shastri claiming that the 53-year-old had a heated exchange with him over the nature of the pitch and added that Shastri had used abusive language. While Gavaskar admitted that his former teammate should have not resorted to foul language, he felt Shastri was entitled to raise his objection to the nature of the pitch.

"What's wrong in the pitches suiting home teams? And when you do not get pitches to your liking there is bound to be frustration and sarcastic remarks may fly. But you should have control over your language. When there is disappointment there are words spoken that you regret later. While Ravi has denied using abusive language, but Sudhir said that he did so it's one person's version versus the other," Gavaskar told NDTV.

The Mumbai Cricket Association is set to discuss Naik’s complaint at the MCA Managing Committee meeting on October 30, but Gavaskar feels that the MCA also has to do some explanation.

"It should also be found out that what did the Mumbai Cricket Association tell the curator. The team management can tell the state board how it wants the pitch and then it is conveyed to the curator, that's how it works. And it's not the first time that the team hasn't got it's pitch. That's part of life, you lose a game, move on," he added.

Gavaskar doesn’t however feel that the pitch was the deciding factor in India’s loss at Sunday which handed the visitors their first bilateral series win on Indian soil.

"No, I don't think the pitch was a factor for the big loss. I think it was ordinary bowling (by India) and superlative batting by the South Africans," he said.

Gavaskar wants the BCCI to act against doctored pitches

Gavaskar questioned Jadeja’s inclusion in the Test squad as he feels the pitch at Saurashtra has been heavily doctored

Gavaskar has asked the BCCI to ensure that the various state associations don't produce pitches that favour the home team beyond acceptable limits.

"As soon as a team scores 600 or 700 an inspector should be sent to the ground and he should be asked to make a report. And if he gives a negative report, which in Indian cricket will take a lot of guts to do then action needs to be taken against that particular association and it's not necessarily in terms of fines, I think the best way would be to deduct the points. That will ensure not too many doctored pitches are given in domestic cricket," Gavaskar opined.

He singled out the Saurashtra Cricket Association for making his point and questioned Ravindra Jadeja’s inclusion in the Test squad for the upcoming series against South Africa.

"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 said.