Ashwin says Puducherry pitches offer the kind of contest ODIs need

Ravichandran Ashwin praised Puducherry’s pitches during the India A-Australia A unofficial ODI series, saying they offer a fair contest between batters and bowlers. His comments contrasted with recent high-scoring India-West Indies ODIs, where batting dominated proceedings

Puducherry: Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin praised Puducherry for producing pitches that offer a fair contest between batters and bowlers in ODI cricket, saying such surfaces are where ODIs should be played.

Taking note of the ongoing unofficial ODIs between India A and Australia A at the Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Ground, Ashwin said pitches like these would “demand more from the batters”.

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“Right now! Pondicherry seems to be producing the kind of pitches ODIs should be played on. 250 chases look stiff! Producing pitches like these will demand more from the batters, tickle their tactical thinking and game awareness,” Ashwin wrote on X.

In the ongoing unofficial ODI series between India A and Australia A, totals below 300 were defended successfully. Australia A scored 274 in the first unofficial ODI and went on to win by 125 runs, bowling India A out for 149.

Australia A scored 275 in the second unofficial ODI and won by 69 runs after bowling India A out for 206. The victories gave Australia A an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, with one match remaining.

The pattern continued in the third match, with India A scoring 275 in the first innings. Only one century was scored across the first five innings of the series, with Australia batter Nathan McSweeney making a hundred in the opening match. Five half-centuries were also scored.

Ashwin’s comments come against the backdrop of recent high-scoring encounters between India and the West Indies. India chased down a target of 406 with relative ease in the second ODI of the three-match series, winning by eight wickets with 39 balls to spare on a surface that offered favourable conditions for run-scoring.

Captain Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 223, while Rohit Sharma made 101 as India completed the second-highest successful run chase in ODI cricket, behind South Africa’s pursuit of 435 against Australia in 2006.

Batters dominated the third ODI as well, with India scoring 351/7 after batting first before the West Indies chased down the target with five wickets in hand and 10 balls to spare.

West Indies captain Shai Hope scored 162 to guide the chase after Rohit Sharma (92), Ruturaj Gaikwad (57) and KL Rahul (129) helped India post 351/7. The surface was tricky during the first 10 overs but became better for batting later.