Sunil Gavaskar Ridicules England About Green Pitch at The Oval

Indian cricket great Sunil Gavaskar had some harsh words for the England cricket team when he took a look at the green pitch rolled out for the fifth and last Test match at The Oval. Gavaskar was obviously not impressed and believed that the English team had no option but to rely on the conditions since they did not have good wicket-taking bowlers in their team. With major bowlers such as Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Brandon Carse unavailable in the team for this crucial match England had to hope a lot on the pitch to deliver for them. Gavaskar goes on to say that England selected a green patch of grass in the hope that it would help bowlers such as Josh Tongue and others to get key wickets since they lacked their star players.

Gavaskar outrightly stated that England lack a strong bowling attack currently. In his own words he stated that there is no good bowling left in the team and that's the very reason for which such a pitch has been prepared. He said that bowlers such as Stokes Archer and Carse have taken most of the wickets for England in this series and with them missing the team is now hoping for the green and seaming track to assist the substitutes. Gavaskar's remark which he made on a show on Sony Sports was direct and cutting as he asked questions regarding England's faith in their own bowling lineup.

This match was never going to be an easy one as India are behind 1-2 in the series. The last Test takes even greater significance with both teams making a few changes in their playing elevens. For India the changes were strategic and due to necessity. Four players were summoned namely Dhruv Jurel Karun Nair Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna. They replaced injured Rishabh Pant Shardul Thakur Anshul Kamboj and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. These new faces are likely to provide India with a new dimension as they seek to level the series.

England too had to make changes. They are without their habitual captain Ben Stokes which is a huge loss. In his absence Ollie Pope is captaining the team. Pope threw the toss and decided to bowl first in thick cloud cover which can provide some initial movement for the ball with England. This choice again reflects their dependency on the surface and not an assured bowling approach. The weather at The Oval was cloudy and that may have played a role in Pope's choice of putting England in expecting the ball to swing and assist the bowlers initially.

Observing the teams the Indian team for this game had Shubman Gill as captain with Yashasvi Jaiswal KL Rahul Sai Sudharsan Karun Nair and Ravindra Jadeja. Dhruv Jurel was given the wicketkeeping role while Washington Sundar Akash Deep Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj formed the playing eleven. This team seemed balanced even though the loss of Bumrah and Pant was definitely a huge blow. But the new entrants got a chance to rise to the occasion and leave their mark in this series decider.

England's team was fresh but a shade inexperienced in some departments. Joined by captain Ollie Pope they played Zak Crawley Ben Duckett Joe Root and Harry Brook in the top order. The middle and lower order had Jacob Bethell Jamie Smith who was behind the wickets and Chris Woakes. The pacemen included Gus Atkinson Jamie Overton and Josh Tongue. Although there is ability in this group the fact that no senior bowlers were present saw them having to place great trust in the conditions and the surface to assist them.

Gavaskar's observations came in consonance with what most cricket followers and pundits were already speculating. Without their key wicket-takers England seem to be counting on the green top to even the playing field instead of having faith in their new or reserve bowlers to get the job done. His candid observation did not mince words and he was very explicit in expressing that preparing such a pitch was the direct outcome of the lack of strong bowling resources from England for the match.

Matches at The Oval have always been crucial in determining the result of Test series and this one was not an exception. With the series hanging in the balance and both sides lacking major players the pressure was immense. India's hopes relied on their new entrants and veteran players like Jadeja and Rahul while England were counting on overcast weather and a green pitch to work in their favour.

This type of pitch choosing tends to become a debating point and Gavaskar has never been afraid to voice his opinion. He has always been the man who puts his cards on the table and here he dubbed it as exactly as he perceived it. In his opinion, the pitch was thrown green intentionally because the English team did not have the firepower in their bowling attack. By indicating that bowlers such as Stokes Archer and Carse were not present Gavaskar indicated that England were desperate to provide their remaining bowlers with any advantage that they could gain.

Throughout the match, fans waited to determine if the pitch actually favored England or if India's alterations would see any real difference. The series had witnessed its own drama and this last Test created yet another layer of rivalry. Gavaskar's comments only fueled the flames and provided fans with even greater motivation to be glued to the game.

In summary Sunil Gavaskar's reaction to the green pitch at The Oval was not only a complaint but also an indication of how much this last Test means to both teams. With key bowlers missing from England and India making drastic changes both teams are on the spot. But Gavaskar's candid and incisive opinion reminded us that cricket is not merely a question of ability it is also a matter of confidence training and the capacity to adjust. Whether the pitch favors England or not the true test lies in how the players play under pressure and how much belief each side has in their own abilities.