India legend Ravichandran Ashwin has raised a pertinent point. Ashwin, one of the finest cricketers to have played the game, has advocated for more day games, especially for the T20s, given the extent
to which the conditions now favour batters.
Ashwin cited the example of how easily India chased down the target of 209 against New Zealand in the second T20I held in Raipur on Friday. The hosts needed just 15.2 overs for a seven-wicket win.
Ashwin said the dew makes it nearly impossible for the bowlers to make any impact.
“I was watching the (glum) faces of New Zealand players (during India’s chase) and I felt so sorry – not because New Zealand is not good enough. (But because) This is unfair cricket. It is not okay for teams to be playing in such sort of dew. There’s little requirement for cricket skills in such conditions,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat.
“I can give you in writing – on the same pitches, if you play in the afternoon, 160-165 will be the par score. This also happened during the 2023 World Cup final,” he added.
Ashwin says because of the dew, even the good deliveries end up being converted into runs and the “unreal imbalance” needs to be addressed.
“There’s a difference between the wicket during the day and night. In India, this happens which is extremely unfair. They end up being hit on good deliveries and bowlers are left without any option. The imbalance between bat and ball is unreal,” he said.
He then painted a grim picture.
“New Zealand will not drop (non-performing) bowlers because they don’t have many options and are aware that in such conditions nothing can be done. But for teams like India, if a player has not done well in two games and ends up bowling in such conditions in the third game and leaks runs, his career will be over,” Ashwin said.
“And career over for what? Lack of skills? Tactical decisions? It is unfair. We can’t fight natural calamities, we are humans. Likewise, how can a bowler deal with such conditions?” he added.
Ashwin also has a suggestion if the organisers do not like afternoon games.
“We can plan better. If you don’t like playing during the day, pick venues carefully. Check where dew will not be a problem. In other countries, they keep a record of how a wicket behaves in a particular month, par scores, whether dew will be there or not. India should follow suit,” he concluded.
