By Sirshendu Panth, IANS,
Kolkata : Veteran curator Prabir Mukherjee hit back at Mahendra Singh Dhoni for terming the Eden Garden’s wicket for the fifth cricket ODI against England “ugly looking”, asking how could the Indian captain then bat for so long and top score in the match.
“He knows good English. He has the liberty to express his views. But I would only say had the wicket been ‘ugly’, how is it that the opening batsmen of both sides did well? How is it that Dhoni himself played for so long,” septuagenarian Mukherjee told IANS.
Mukherjee said considering the fact that it was a virgin wicket and international matches are not played at Eden Gardens at this time of the year, the 22 yards did behave well.
“I did not see any problem. England bowled very well to take the Indian top order. Problem is one always wants to get the wicket of his choice. If one does not get it, then it’s a bad wicket, though facts may be to the contrary,” he said.
Batting in the first session, Indian openers Gautam Gambhir and Ajinkya Rahane put on 80 runs following which India lost three wickets in quick succession before Dhoni blazed an unbeaten 75 to pilot India to 271/8.
In reply, England openers skipper Alastair Cook and Craig Kieswetter gave their team a sound start during a rollicking 129 run stand before England lost their way to the Indian spinners and folded for 175 to lose the match and finish on the wrong side of a 5-0 whitewash in the ODI series.
Dhoni, however, expressed his disappointment with the track at the post-match prize distribution ceremony, saying his team was fortunate to score 270-plus runs.
“If you see the wicket, you don’t get the same kind of confidence. To some extent, it was a very ugly looking wicket. Once you are not really set, one ball can spin or keep low, the reverse swing the bowlers were getting in the afternoon, it was very difficult to score runs. We are fortunate to score 270-plus runs on a wicket like this.”