'It shows where Pakistan cricket is at': Taylor takes a dig at Raja's 'limited resources' comment, slams PCB for pitches

Former captain Mark Taylor is not at all impressed with the types of pitches that have been used in Rawalpindi to host the Test matches between Pakistan and Australia. In the first match at Rawalpindi, over 1000 runs were scored with only 14 wickets falling and the second match at Karachi is more or less the same. Cricket fraternity around the world has criticised PCB for producing ‘flat and dead’ pitches, and joining the bandwagon is former Australia captain Mark Taylor.

After the backlash received following the first Test, PCB chairman Ramiz Raja has said that although a drawn Test is not the ideal advert for Test cricket, Pakistan needed to make sure that they made the most of the term 'home advantage' and now 'gift Australia the Test match in their laps'. Raja also said that the reason behind such a pitch getting made is that Pakistan lacked a few good players, and in an indirect response to it, Taylor feels it is a sign of lack of backing by the board in their players.

"Unfortunately, I think it shows where Pakistan cricket is at. They have got some very good cricketers at the moment, and I would love to see their establishment be a little more adventurous with what they're telling them," Taylor told Nine's Sports.

"Firstly, the two pitches we've had, at Rawalpindi and at Karachi, have been roads. They are hard, you can see there's not much grass on them. Pakistan bowling is very good, they've got some very good quicks these days. It looks to me like they haven't backed their side in general.

Taylor, who was the captain of the Australian team when they last toured Pakistan long ago in 1998, feels the PCB, due to the pitches took away the opportunity to make sure that the Australia vs Pakistan Test series be an exciting contest.

"More or less they're saying 'don't lose this series'. That is my worry. Just don't lose. Pakistan pitches have never been minefields or green tops, but you would've expected a bit more grass with their quicks. And their batting is also very good. I would've loved to see good pitches put out for the first two (matches) and I think we would have had a very good series," added Taylor.