'It is the quality of the bowlers': Irfan Pathan's brutal response to Mark Waugh on 'hoo-ha' about Nagpur pitch
Australia cricket legend Mark Waugh too was among them but India all-rounder Irfan Pathan gave a brutal response while also backing his statement with stats.
The first look of the Nagpur pitch, ahead of the start of the opening Test match between India and Australia of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, created quite a stir with former and current players making a lot remarks, criticising the track. Australia cricket legend Mark Waugh too was among them but India all-rounder Irfan Pathan gave a brutal response while also backing his statement with stats. (India vs Australia Live Updates 1st Test Day 2)
Former Aussie cricketers and Australian media were at it when the first visuals of the Nagpur pitch had gone viral, accusing India of 'doctoring' conditions to produce a rank turner. While veteran India cricketers, Ravi Shastri, Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, and India skipper Rohit Sharma hit back at the criticism, Pathan too joined the bandwagon in given a savage reply.
Before the start of Day 2 in Nagpur, Pathan, in conversation with Star Sports, questioned the logic behind the "hoo-ha" about Nagpur pitch, showing that the degree of turn on Day 1 was the least since 2021 in India where the hosts played against England and Bangladesh during the period.
“All this hoo-ha about big turn and slow pitch in Australia, especially in the media, look at this stat from first day - 2.9 degrees since 2021. We played against England and New Zealand and last day, it was the least turn. Then what is this hoo-ha about?” he questioned.
Waugh, at whom the question was directed, replied explaining that the “inconsistent turn” bothered him the most. He said: “It is not how much the ball turns, it is about the inconsistent turn. One goes straight and one spins a little bit. That is when you get in trouble as a batsman.”
Pathan quietly replied: “It is the quality of the bowlers!”
Waugh immediately was all praise for Ravindra Jadeja. “Yes Jadeja bowled beautifully, stump to stump, great length,” he said.
Jadeja was the star of Day 1 as he picked his 11th five-wicket haul in his first appearance in five months as India folded Australia for just 177 runs on the opening day. India captain Rohit then reduced the gap to 100 with his stunning half-century.
