‘Even I would have got wickets on that pitch’ – David Lloyd slams Ahmedabad pitch

The 22 yards on which the third Test match between India and England was played has now come under immense scrutiny. The Test ended within two days, as the hosts thrashed the Joe Root-led side by 10 wickets. The batsmen from both sides appeared clueless on a pitch where the spinners literally toyed with the batsmen.

The highest score that was recorded by an individual batsman in the entire Test match was 66, and there were just two batsmen from both sides who managed to score half-centuries. Even Joe Root got the ball to behave the way he wanted to, and picked up 5 wickets, giving away just 8 runs in the first innings.

Now, former England cricketer David Lloyd has blasted the pitch that was used for the third Test and has stated that the pitch was as poor as the one used for the second Test. He has even demanded an answer from the International Cricket Council (ICC), asking them whether this was the way a Test match should end. He even stated that he is not even expecting a single answer from anybody.

“I gave this pitch the benefit of the doubt on the first day but, I’m sorry, it was just as bad as the last one. And the big question has to be asked again of the ICC. Is this how you want the game to go? Tests finishing well under time, this one not even lasting two days? We need answers from Dubai but I’m not expecting to get a single one,” wrote Lloyd for the Daily Mail.

A part-timer in Joe Root took five wickets: David Lloyd

David Lloyd continued with his scathing criticism of the pitch and even stated that the pitch was such that, even a part-timer bowler like Joe Root could scalp 5 wickets on such a surface. He also gave a couple of instances when Aussies Allan Border and Michael Clarke, both part-time bowlers, scalped wickets. Lloyd concluded by stating that when part-timers take wickets, something is wrong, and added that even he would have got wickets on the Ahmedabad pitch.

“But it told you everything you need to know that instead of that second spinner a part-timer in Joe Root took five wickets in six overs! I remember Allan Border once taking a seven-for with part-time spin. And Michael Clarke grabbed a six-for. When part-timers do that something isn’t right. Even I would have got wickets on that pitch and I was hopeless,” concluded Lloyd.

All said and done, India still keep their hopes alive for qualifying for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. All they need to do is to ensure that they do not lose the 4th Test.