Rohit Sharma, ahead of the day-night Test against England, came hard at those crictising the Test pitches in India saying that the pitches in India are prepared in the same manner for many years now and he doesn’t think there needs to any changes in that approach. The Indian opener, who scored a brilliant hundred batting on a challenging Chennai surface in the second Test against England, said that India are completely within their rights to make most of the home advantage and prepare the pitches to suit their strengths.

“Pitch remains same both teams, I don’t know why this discussion happens so much. Pitches in India are being prepared in the same manner for many years now. I don’t think there have been any changes in that regard or there should be any changes,” Rohit said in a video tweeted by the BCCI.

Watch the video here:

Every team has the right to home advantage, reckons @ImRo45. @Paytm #INDvENG #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/ZbF7ufj01M

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 21, 2021

Many former cricketers, including Michael Vaughan and Mark Waugh, had cricticised the Chepauk pitch for the second Test describing it as be not good enough for the Test cricket.

Expressing his opinion, Rohit said every team in the world makes most of their home conditions by preparing pitches to suit their style of play and there shouldn’t be any if the Indian team does the same.

“Every team makes full use of their home advantage. When we go out the same happens there as well, they don’t think about us. So, why should we think about anyone. What we like and what is our team’s preference, we should do that… this is what home or away advantage is all about. Otherwise, take out the home and away advantage away and play cricket without it. Ask ICC to make a rule, setting identical norms for pitches in India and outside,” he added.

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He further added that he couldn’t understand why there was so much debate about the pitches in India when other countries also do the same and make “life difficult” whenever Indian team travels overseas. The right-handed opener also said that instead of talking about the pitches, it’s better if the discussions revolve around players’ performances.

“But when we travel overseas, they also make life difficult for us. So, I don’t think we should discuss much about the pitches and instead talk about the game and players. Discussion about how a player is batting or how a bowler is bowling are completely fine but not pitches because conditions remain same for both teams and whoever plays the best will win,” he concluded.