In the ongoing unofficial ODI series between India A and Australia A, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has praised the pitches in Puducherry for providing a balanced contest between bat and ball. According to Ashwin, these surfaces are perfect for 50-over cricket because they force batters to modify their strategy and think strategically rather than depending only on aggressive strokeplay.
The former Indian cricket player emphasised on X how challenging it has been to chase even totals of about 250 on the pitches at the Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Ground. Just now! Ashwin commented on X, “Pondicherry appears to be producing the kind of pitches ODIs should be played on.”250 chases appear stiff! These kinds of pitches will put more pressure on batters and test their game awareness and tactical thinking.
Bowlers have benefited greatly from the pitches in Puducherry, with Australia In the first two games of the series, a successfully defending total is less than 300.
Prior to bowling India, Australia A scored 274 in the first unofficial ODI. a comprehensive 125-run victory with an out for 149. In the second game, the visitors maintained their superiority, scoring 275 before holding India A to 206 to win by 69 runs and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
India A managed 275 in their first innings in the third game, which followed a similar pattern. Only one century was scored in the first five innings of the series, with Australia’s Nathan McSweeney scoring a century in the first game. Additionally, there were five half-centuries, highlighting the difficulties batters have had turning starts into significant runs.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s remarks coincide with the India-West Indies ODIs’ high scoring
Ashwin’s comments follow some outstanding batting performances in the most recent ODI series between India and the West Indies, where the pitches provided the batters with significantly greater support.
With 39 balls remaining, India won by eight wickets after chasing down 406 in the second ODI in Guwahati. India achieved one of the most successful run chases in ODI history with Rohit Sharma scoring 101 and Shubman Gill remaining undefeated at 223.
There was another high-scoring match in the third ODI. With KL Rahul scoring 129, Rohit scoring 92, and Ruturaj Gaikwad scoring 57, India scored 351/7. With five wickets in hand and ten balls left, West Indies managed to chase down the target, largely because of captain Shai Hope’s brilliant 162.
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The third ODI pitch proved more difficult in the first ten overs before improving for batting, despite the Guwahati surface favouring strokeplay. Ashwin is in favour of ODI pitches that test batters’ technique, patience, and decision-making while keeping bowlers in the game, and the disparate conditions in the two series have once again brought the debate into sharp relief.
