India vs England 2021: “Test cricket is meant to test the mind and will” – Viv Richards defends turning Ahmedabad pitch

India vs England 2021: “Test cricket is meant to test the mind and will” – Viv Richards defends turning Ahmedabad pitch
India vs England, Ahemadabad, 2021
Action from the third test

The recently concluded third test between India and England has led to several questions about the pitch and home advantage. Various experts and former cricketers have voiced their opinions and the same has been quite divided. Former West Indian cricketer and icon Viv Richards recently spoke about the same in a video that he posted on his Facebook page.

“I am a little confused about the question really because there seems to be a lot of moaning and groaning about the wicket that they were playing on. I just felt that the ones who are moaning, in my opinion, should realise that there are times that you’re going to get a seaming track, a ball that is basically jumping off a good length and everyone thinks that’s a problem for batters. There are times batters sometimes cope with that,” Richards said in the video.

‘You should expect spin’ – Viv Richards

Viv Richards

Viv Richards further spoke about how Test cricket is meant to be challenging. “But now you’ve seen the other side, and this is why I think it was given the name Test match cricket, because of the test of the mind and will and everything else that goes with it when you’re competing. And the complaints have been that the wicket is spinning too much and all that sorts of stuff. This is another side of the coin guys. People seem to forget that if you’re going to India, you should expect that. You are going to spin land. You should basically prepare yourself to know what you’re going to encounter,” he said.

“Rather than the moaning and groaning, especially just recently how quickly that Test match was over. It gives England an opportunity and a chance to assess things. To believe that they’re going to encounter in the fourth Test is going to be the same. If I was India or I had anything to do with the preparations of the wicket. I would bring in very much the same Ever since that first Test match, England were in their comfort zone. They have now been taken out of their comfort zone at present,” Richards signed off.

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