Inzamam-Ul-Haq asks ICC to take action against Motera pitch

Inzamam-Ul-Haq refused to give Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin any credit for their exploits in the third Test. He said if a part-time spinner like Joe Root can take 5 wickets for 8 runs how he can applaud Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Ahmedabad: Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-Ul-Haq asked International Cricket Council (ICC) to take action against the Motera's pitch where the third Test between India and England got over inside two days.

Inzamam, in the meantime, declined to give credit to Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin for taking 11 and 7 wickets, respectively in that match.

The third Test at the refurbished Narendra Modi Stadium got over in less than two days, and 28 out of 30 wickets went to the credit of spinners. As the clatter relating to the pitch continues with former English players crying foul and Indian team players defending the surface, Pakistan's Inzamam, who has celebrated his 51st birthday on Wednesday, termed the pitch unplayable. He said if a part-time spinner like Joe Root can take 5 wickets for 8 runs how he can applaud Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin for their performance.

"If Joe Root is picking up five wickets in six overs, you can imagine the condition of the wicket. Why should I praise R Ashwin and Axar Patel, when Root is picking up 5/8? Test matches have so many important elements, the venue, the ground, the umpire, referee, so a pitch should also hold some significance. Test match should look like a Test match," Inzamam said on his youtube channel.

While Axar Patel was playing his second Test, Ashwin's 7 for 74 helped him cross the 400 Test scalps.

In the third Test, only 842 balls were bowled as the majority of the batsmen failed to play spinners on a surface from where a puff of dust was coming off the pitch from day one itself.

Inzamam, in fact, said the figure of the Ahmedabad Test resembled a T20 fixture. He also slammed India for preparing rank turner and taking optimum advantage of home conditions.

"Even scorecards in T20 matches read better than the one we saw in Ahmedabad. The ICC should take action on this. What sort of wickets are these that a Test match cannot even last two entire days? 17 wickets falling in less than one day, what are we playing on here? Sure, you take home advantage, spinning tracks should be made, but this sort of pitch I don't think should exist."