India vs WI: The first Test hit by a controversy
What's the story
India and West Indies are set to battle it out in Rajkot in the first Test of the two-match series. The match has already been hit by a controversy due to a tussle between local curators and the BCCI. The BCCI flew in its curators to prepare the pitch and this hasn't gone down well with former Saurashtra Cricket Association secretary, Niranjan Shah.
Incident
BCCI's move doesn't go down well with Shah
In what the BCCI views as a standard practice, it flew in its curators Daljit Singh and Vishwajit Padiyar to have a look at the Rajkot pitch. The rationale of this decision is to help the team management with its demands. However, this time around, former secretary of the BCCI, Niranjan Shah stated that the local pitch curators didn't appreciate the move.
Curators
Why can't local curators be entrusted with the job?
According to a report in The Times of India, Shah has hit out at both the BCCI and the Committee of Administrators. He claimed that the local curators have immense knowledge of preparing a wicket and it reflects poorly if the board makes its own decisions. He also felt that Mahendra Rajdev, chief curator and former cricketer, didn't like the board dictating terms.
Comments
Curator always knows what needs to be done, claims Shah
He opined that the ground curator knows what needs to be done. Notably, the BCCI has now opted for neutral curators, in Ranji Trophy, to ensure pitches are not doctored. He added if the BCCI doesn't stop this, incidents like Pune, where 24 wickets fell in two days in a Test match between India and Australia, will keep on happening.
Demands
Did BCCI demand a fast and bouncy pitch?
The report adds that there have been murmurs that the management wants fast and bouncy pitches in order to prepare for the tour of Australia. But an official of the BCCI dismissed the speculation. According to him, none of the curators have been given any instruction. With black soil on offer, a good cricket pitch is expected in Rajkot.