Before the start of the second Test between India and England, there was a lot of conversation about the pitch at Chepauk and how it is going to assist the spinners.
Naturally, everyone immediately thought of Ashwin. “There is no chance for English batsmen in such conditions, given Ashwin’s form”.
What people did not imagine was that Ashwin will do wonders, but not just with the ball. As I write this, Ashwin has 3 wickets to his name, as England try to make it to lunch without losing. This is after his beautiful century (106) yesterday, and a 5-for before that.
Add to that Virat’s 62, Rohit’s 161, Rahane’s 67, and Pant’s 58* – these put together pretty much end the conversation.
This says two things. 1. Predications about the pitch by the experts (of which there are many), should be a little more insightful than sensational headlines. 2. There are conditions that are ‘unplayable’, and what we are seeing at the Chepauk doesn’t fall in that category. Clearly.
Those were my two bits, here are some from Twitter.