Australia made every effort to be as prepared as possible for the first Test matchup with India in Nagpur. The tourists did everything they could to ensure a successful outcome in the opener, whether it was choosing to practise on certain wickets rather than play a practise match, or taking the “closest look” at the surface that was feasible.
However, the final score—a humiliating loss by an inning and 132 runs—was the outcome. Former South African pacer Dale Steyn amusingly mocked Pat Cummins’ team as comments to the outcome of the first game appeared on social media.
So quick question to you cricket people.
How does one like to read a pitch?
Are you a get down on your knees and almost sniff the pitch person or a general stand and observe from the pitch side?
Lastly. Did it really help you?
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) February 11, 2023
So believe it or not but in my playing days I didn’t ever like to look at the pitches we played on, most often the first time I saw it was when it was my turn to bowl or bat in that particular game. Working out my length to hit the top of off was done playing. #wastedbooksecrets
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) February 11, 2023
Pictures showing Australian players like Steve Smith and David Warner studying the Nagpur pitch from a “microscopic distance” have surfaced prior to the commencement of the game. They appeared to be “sniffing” the pitch in an effort to grasp it as completely as possible.
Steyn posted the following on Twitter in an apparent subtle jab at the Australian men: “So I have a quick question for the cricket team. What style of pitch reading do you prefer? Do you generally stand and watch from the pitch side or do you get on your hands and knees and almost sniff the pitch? Lastly. Did it actually assistA you?”
So, believe it or not, I never liked to stare at the playing fields when I was a player. Most of the time, I just noticed them when it was my turn to bowl or bat in a given game. The former Proteas pacer explained how he learned how to bowl on various wickets in another tweet, “Working out my length to strike the top of off was done playing.”
Following their victory over Australia, the Indian spin-bowling duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are now ranked No. 2 in the world, trailing No. 1 Australia by 61.67 percentage points to 70.83.
