Legendary Australian spinner Shane Warne disagrees with India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s demand for turners in home conditions against England in the ongoing four-match Test series.
“We never spoke to a groundsman in Australia. They (pitch curators) feel proud of their job and take pride in producing good cricket wickets,” Warne, who has joined the series TV presentation team for the second Test between India and England, said.
“It is up to them to prepare wickets as they know their job well. Players have to adapt to all conditions and find ways to take wickets if the track is not doing much. There should be good contest between bat and ball.
“The ball turns anyhow in Indian conditions. I don’t think Dhoni has influenced groundsmen, he may be playing mind games to put doubts in the opponents’ minds,” he added.
Warne will return to Australia after commentating on the second Test to lead the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash, and will be back for the India-Australia series.
Warne praised Dhoni for his captaincy skills but felt he needed to win abroad as well.
“MS is a good captain when he gets his nose ahead. When he attacks and things are going his way, he is good. But in England and Australia he was too defensive.”
The Aussie legend felt that the visitors had to show character. “England have struggled against spin. They have to show character now,” he reckoned.
“They missed a trick by not playing Monty Panesar in the first Test,” he added.
Warne paid tribute to Virender Sehwag, who will be playing his 100th Test in Mumbai.
“To play 100 Tests, there has to be lot of things going your way. I know a lot of people doubted him when he first came into the side. He has been through a bit of form slump so it is great to see him back, smashing the attack as he does. He is great to watch and I wish him the very best for his hundredth Test,” he said.
“Sehwag and Kevin Pietersen are the most dangerous batsmen in the world. Michael Clarke who scored his fourth Test double hundred in a year has been hungrier after captaincy and is best batsmen around. He is an aggressive skipper and has lot of imagination flair and is a great friend,” he added in praise of the Australia skipper.
DRS system is fantastic
India may shy away from using DRS despite some poor decisions in the first Test against England but Warne believes that the system has value.