Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar didn’t hold back in his criticism of the English media, calling them out for their persistent complaints about Indian pitches before a Test series. Gavaskar, during his commentary on Day 1 of the second Test between India and Bangladesh at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, referred to a section of the English media as “moaners” and “crybabies” for their ongoing grievances regarding Indian pitches that assist spin.
Using Ravichandran Ashwin’s impressive performance as an example, Gavaskar defended Indian pitches, particularly those that offer turn. He cited Ashwin’s century in the first Test in Chennai and recalled how the English media had labeled the Chepauk pitch as “unplayable.” Sunil Gavaskar comments came as he returned to the commentary box, marking his first appearance in this series after missing the Chennai Test to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary.
He said, “He (Ashwin) actually said in the press conference that you can get a hundred if you apply yourself. So he walked the talk when the moaners were going on saying ‘you can’t bat here’. Saying and doing all the things like crybabies, typical English media stuff, where they only talk about Indian pitches.”
Gavaskar’s stance highlights the frequent criticism from some overseas media and players about subcontinent conditions, particularly pitches that favor spin bowling, a challenge for many visiting teams.
