5 times when the Indian team management had a problem with the Pitch Curator

One of the most debated-upon topics in the game of Cricket is the supposed home advantage. While cricket purists agree that it is an integral part of the game, the radicals argue that teams should constantly play at neutral venues, so as to bring about the best in them. Despite varying opinions, it is an accepted fact that teams always prefer to play at home. With familiar surroundings, well-known pitches and the cheer of the home crowd, teams always love playing at home than away.Apart from a sprinkling of rare occasions, teams have found more victories at home than away. Due to their inside knowledge of their home pitches and conditions, the home team often uses that advantage to drive home their superiority, leaving the opposition team in the dust. For example, in the subcontinent, away teams find it hard to adjust to the slow wickets, and it is the same vice-versa, as subcontinent teams struggle in swinging and seaming conditions overseas.MS Dhoni has made his fair share of complaints against curatorsThe men who are responsible for presenting a good pitch are no doubt the groundsmen, who are led by the Curator. They are the unsung heroes of the modern game, the ones who make it their life’s work to put together a good pitch that makes the game more enjoyable. But it is not always that a curator is in the good books of the home team. Especially when it comes to a cricket crazy country like India, a small mistake may cause friction between the team management and the curators.Let’s take a look at 5 instances when the Indian team management got off the wrong foot with the curators:

#1 Rangiri, Dambulla

Dhoni was less than happy at the pitches, which he thought were too wet

Perhaps the first ever call for better pitches by MS Dhoni happened during the Sri Lankan Tri-Series in 2010. After proving himself as a safe bet in India, Dhoni still had to prove that he could win series away from home as well. With India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka battling it out in a tri-series in Sri Lanka, it was a good chance for the Indian captain.

Dhoni’s displeasure started as early as the practice matches, where he felt the pitches were sub-standard. After a rising delivery caught Dinesh Karthik painfully on the wrist, the batsman had to leave to tend to it. This caused Dhoni’s annoyance as the team management lodged a protest with the authorities and asked for better wickets. The then-team manager, Ranjib Biswal, commented that both MS Dhoni and Coach Gary Kirsten were less than happy with the practice pitches, and that they thought all the pitches were wet, had too much grass and that the ball was bouncing awkwardly.

The war of the words did not stop here, as SLC Curator Anuruddha Polonowita claimed that the Indian team management was being unfair. He defended his track as being nothing less than ideal, and instead accused the Indian team of not batting properly. He referred to the first match of the Tri-series, where India lost by 200 runs, and claimed that it was a proper batting wicket, but India still managed to collapse for 88 runs. This did not make matters any easier for the Indian team management. India went on to make the final, but still lost to Sri Lanka, again at Dambulla.

#2 Eden Gardens, Kolkata

The Indian team management’s longest feud has been with Eden Gardens curator Prabir Mukherjee

The face-offs between Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the Eden Gardens curator Prabir Mukherjee are infamous, with the former criticising the pitch at every possible opportunity. It all began in 2011, after the 5th ODI between India and England, that MS Dhoni called the Eden pitch “an ugly wicket”. Despite winning the match against England, Dhoni expressed disappointment at the pitch – which was to host a T20 in four days – and said that the wicket was too slow and that it needed to be faster. Curator Mukherjee responded angrily, slamming MS Dhoni’s remarks and stating that he couldn’t change the wicket overnight. India went on to lose the T20 match.

The saga continued a year later during England’s tour of India, when Dhoni criticized the curator once again, stating that the latter did not acquiesce to his demand of preparing a turning pitch. Despite India losing on a square turner in Mumbai a week ago, Dhoni still wanted a track which turned from Day 1 in Kolkata, which Mukherjee refused to do. He later went on to say that “if Dhoni wanted the test to end in 3-4 days, why sell tickets for five?” Dhoni’s call for turning pitches was slammed by several critics, including Steve Waugh, who called it immoral.

Despite Dhoni seemingly burying the hatchet with Mukherjee, an allegation was once again on the fore later this year, when Dhoni claimed the pitch was not sufficiently watered ahead of the final of the IPL. Dhoni claimed that the curators thought it would rain, which was why did not water the pitch. He then followed it up by electing to bowl – a sign that he did not trust the pitch. Dhoni’s team, Chennai Super Kings went on to lose the final, and it didn’t help his mood.

#3 M. Chinnaswamy, Bangalore

The curators countered Dhoni’s attack, saying that he was lucky to have won in 4 days

Ever since MS Dhoni took over as Indian captain, his love for spin bowling has become famous. Even with his IPL side, Chennai Super Kings, Dhoni regularly used 3 spinners on Chennai’s slow tracks, managing to defend even the lowest of totals. It was the same with the Indian team, as Dhoni publicly announced that he enjoyed controlling the middle overs with his spinners. Therefore, as India prepared to host overseas teams at home in 2012, Dhoni called for turning tracks in order to trip up the visiting teams from outside the subcontinent.

His call for a spinning wicket was not limited to Kolkata alone, as he also did the same with the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium at Bangalore. With New Zealand trailing 1-0, he thought it the perfect opportunity for a whitewash, and put in a word with the curator to prepare a rank turner. India went on to win the match in 4 days, but Dhoni was not pleased. He went on record to say that the pitch did not help his spinners at all. He also commented that India were good players of spin, and that he didn’t get any spin-friendly tracks in the series.

Rightly so, his comments were not taken lightly by the curators. They stated that the wicket in Bangalore was praised by everyone except the team management, and that they would never give a rank turner. The curators expressed outrage over Dhoni’s comments, stating that he should be glad he won a test inside 4 days. Dhoni has wisely avoided commenting on the Bangalore pitch thereafter, but has kept an icy silence regarding the matter.

#4 The Gabba, Brisbane

The team management blamed the practice pitches for India’s dramatic collapse in Brisbane

The Indian team management’s complaints about the curators extended beyond the subcontinent as well, as perplexed curator Kevin Mitchell Jr of the Gabba cricket ground found late in 2014. After a close loss in the first test at Adelaide, MS Dhoni returned as India’s captain for the second test at Brisbane. What began as an evenly matched test quickly turned against India as a second innings collapse saw them set Australia a small target of 128, which they eventually chased down.

After the test though, MS Dhoni angrily lashed out at the curator, claiming that the practice pitches were “uneven” to bat on and that the facilities were inadequate. Shikhar Dhawan, who injured himself while batting on the practice pitches was not able to open the batting for India on Day 4, which led to Virat Kohli hastily making up for him. This, Dhoni said, caused India’s batting collapse, where they went from 71-1 to 87-5 and sealed the match in Australia’s favour. Apparently, the Indian team management had asked the Gabba authorities to let them use the new pitches, but their request had been denied.

Similarly, the Indians were denied the use of the gym in the grounds, which was used by the Aussie Football League team at the time. With the added brunt of the defeat, Dhoni was not his usual sedate character in the press conference, claiming that the bad pitch had caused “unrest” in the Indian dressing room. But again, his outburst was waved off as the Australians stated that the practice wickets had no problem. An official complaint was not lodged by the Indian team management, but Dhoni angrily remarked that the Gabba facilities could improve.

#5 The Wankhede, Mumbai

Ravi Shastri and Sudhir Naik’s heated exchange is the latest affair for team India as it draws to an infamous close

After a humiliating defeat to South Africa, where India conceded 438 and then collapsed to 224, the Indian team management – led by Ravi Shastri – led an angry tirade against the Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik. The matter was first brought forth by Naik, who lodged a complaint against Ravi Shastri with the Mumbai Cricket Association.

In his letter, Naik said that the Indian team management gave him no specific message before the game, and thus he had made the pitch a good batting track. He claimed that Shastri “abused him” after the match, coming up to him and sarcastically claiming that the pitch was a “great wicket”. Naik also claimed that Shastri used expletives against him, which led to an argument. Shastri however, denied all allegations made by Naik.

Ex-Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar added fuel to the fire, as he backed Sudhir Naik, claiming that Shastri should not blame the wicket for India’s ineptitude. His words had a grain of truth in them, as India could not even last the full 50 overs on a good track, getting all-out in just 36 overs. The matter has culminated in Sudhir Naik asking for action to be taken against Ravi Shastri, and as the investigation takes place, we must wait and see what new developments rise to the surface.