After a long time, the Indian team is going to play Test matches. The only Test match between India and England women’s cricket team is to be played here from Wednesday. Earlier a shocking news came out, for which the host England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had to apologize, because the pitch to be used in the India vs England Test match is not new. This pitch has already been used.
Actually, the pitch on which the five-day Test match between India and England women’s team is to be played. A T20 Blast match between Gloucestershire and Sussex has been played on the same pitch five days ago. The Indian women’s cricket team is about to play its first Test match after almost seven years. The match is to be held on a used pitch, not a fresh pitch at the Bristol ground. For this the ECB has officially apologized.
The ECB said in its statement, “We are all disappointed that the wicket to be used for the Test match against India has been played on it. 37 overs have been played. We know that England women deserve a new wicket. and we regret that we were unable to provide it in this instance.” The match between Sussex and Gloucestershire was played on the same pitch on Friday, in which Sussex won by five wickets.
England women’s cricket team captain Heather Knight has said that it is not right to play on a used pitch. He said,
“I have seen the pitch, it is a used wicket. This pitch was used for the Gloucestershire T20 match last week, which I think is by no means the ideal pitch for a Test match. We Wanted that we would get to play a fresh pitch. Now I don’t know how the pitch that we got will behave.”
However, Mithali Raj, the captain of the Indian women’s team, chose to remain silent on the matter. “We have come here to play a match. Whatever strip we get, we try and get results from it. That’s our idea. Be it a used wicket or a fresh wicket… players,” he said. As a captain, and as a captain, I definitely want my team to get some results and for that it is important that we strategize accordingly.”