Feroz Shah Kotla curator slams Gautam Gambhir for interfering in pitch preparation

Gautam Gambhir

The pre-match news ahead of the big Delhi v Karnataka Ranji Trophy tie has come from outside of the playing area. Or probably because of it.

Ferozeshah Kotla chief curator Venkat Sundaram has slammed Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir for “interfering in his job” ahead of the important game against Karnataka in Delhi.

“If you have to fiddle with pitches so much then you are not fit for playing Test cricket,” fumed Sundaram, referring to Gambhir’s ‘repeated insistence on getting the grass shaved off to make it a turner’, according to Times of India.

Gambhir has repeatedly crossed swords with the DDCA this season with regards to team selection and playing surfaces. Having got the DDCA to relent, Delhi had played three of their home matches on a seaming Roshanara track but had to turn to Kotla for their final group game as Roshanara, which is a private club, will not be available from December 30 due to its own ‘New Year Bash’ on the ground.

Having accumulated 19 points from seven matches, Delhi are looking for seven points for which Gambhir apparently wanted a rank-turner & insisted that the smattering of grass be shaved off. The situation got so out of hand at the Kotla, hosting its 1st first-class game this season, that BCCI’s chief curator Daljit Singh had to be called in.

DDCA vice-president Chetan Chauhan said that the groundstaff was now following Daljit’s instructions.

“The loose grass is being removed and light roller will be used along with some sprinkling of water. We are going in with two spinners for the match,” Chauhan said.