The critics believe the practice should be done away with. At the international level, every player should be able to adapt to different playing conditions. There is no time for relearning the basics. Playing on spinning pitches requires as much skill as playing on fast, bouncy ones. India s chances of furthering its enviable record of not losing a test series at home for 13 years will decrease if the practice is stopped.
Cricket is a professional sport.
Foolish sacrifices will get us nowhere. Domestic level pitches should be prepared to maintain the right balance between hard and turning tracks. The Board of Control for Cricket in India should reduce the number of matches played by the team and organize overseas tours at least twice a year so that players are exposed to all kinds of pitch conditions. Only then can India hope to do well both at home and abroad. Yours faithfully, Dyutiman Mukhopadhyay, South 24 Parganas Sir Indian cricket has gained with the inflow of young blood.