Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) for double standards when it comes to rating pitches. Many people think that the biggest test for a batsman is to face fast bowling on pitches with extra bounce. But Gavaskar completely disagrees with this.
The former Indian captain believes that the real test of a batsman’s skills comes on turning pitches, where spinners catch the ball, dip and change direction rapidly. He made these comments while discussing the first Ashes Test in Perth, where there was much discussion about the pitch.
Sunil Gavaskar criticizes ICC for double standards on pitch rating
The opener of The Ashes 2025-26 ended inside two days at the Optus Stadium, with Australia winning the Test match by eight wickets. Gavaskar believes that people often praise pitches that are fast and dangerous but complain when a surface gives turn and remains low.
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He said that this double standards has been going on for a very long time and even fans in the subcontinent have started believing in it. Sunil Gavaskar told that batting on a turning track is more difficult than it looks. A batsman cannot survive by playing only forward or backward.
In his latest column for Sportstar, Sunil Gavaskar wrote, “To counter spin, it is not just about playing forward or backward, but also about reducing turn and moving down the pitch to attack the ball. This is where the skill comes from.”
Sunil Gavaskar questions world’s bias towards spin-friendly pitches
The renowned broadcaster has pointed out that batsmen must assess the ball quickly, use correct footwork and sometimes even go down the pitch to prevent the ball from spinning too much, and that such control requires far more skill and talent than facing fast bowling.
Sunil Gavaskar also pointed out that some modern batsmen try to counter the fast bowlers by coming out of the crease while bowling, but this was not the way at all. He considers it a risky, pre-planned move that rarely works, and that it is more about luck than actual technique.
Ultimately, Gavaskar made it clear that a batsman can be called great only if he can score runs on turning pitches. If one struggles on surfaces that provide spin, it means that he has not mastered the toughest challenge in batting.
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Sunil Gavaskar hits back at experts who ignore spin mastery
The former Indian captain further explained, “So, for me, playing on a turning pitch requires more talent and footwork than playing at fast pace. That’s why, if you don’t score runs on such surfaces, you are not a great batsman. His statement that a bouncy pitch and danger to life and limb is never bad, but a pitch where the ball turns and stays low is disgraceful, sadly complex people in the subcontinent still believe in this. But we believe.”
He also linked this argument to how batsmen are rated around the world. Many foreign experts believe that a batsman is great only when he scores heavily on fast, bouncy pitches. But when a batsman from outside the subcontinent struggles in crucial situations, he is still praised.
Gavaskar feels that this mentality is unfair and needs to be changed. He signed off by saying, “They will rate a batsman only if he scores a century on fast, bouncy pitches, but if a batsman from his part of the world does not score a century in the subcontinent, he will still be called great.”