“Groundsman sacked because pitch was too flat. Isn't that cribbing?” - Michael Vaughan counters Virat Kohli

Former England captain Michael Vaughan refused to buy Indian captain Virat Kohli’s claim that “Indians do well because they don’t crib about pitches”.

Virat Kohli made the statement at the pre-match press conference when confronted with the expected query over the nature of the surface for the two-day pink-ball Test.

According to Michael Vaughan, the decision to sack the curator of the first Test in Chennai, which India lost by 227 runs, did hint towards 'cribbing about the pitch'. Expression his opinion over Virat Kohli’s views at the press conference, Michael Vaughan tweeted:

“Pretty sure the Groundsman was sacked after the 1st Test because the pitch was too flat!!!!! Isn’t that cribbing about a pitch?? #JustAsking?.”

The former England captain has been taking constant digs at the Indian team over the pitches that have been prepared for the last two Tests.

A couple of days ago, he posed with the bat in the midst of dug-up soil and trolled India over the pitch preparations for the fourth Test in Ahmedabad. Vaughan’s attack on India has continued unabated even as the England team per se haven’t raised any objections over the surface.

Pretty sure if my memory serves me correct that the Groundsman in Chennai after the 1st Test was sacked for producing a pitch too flat ... Pretty sure I heard a few complaints about the Ball after the 1st Test ... #JustSaying #OnOn #INDvENG

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 3, 2021

Haven’t cribbed about any of the pitches we have played on: Virat Kohli

At the pre-match conference on Wednesday, the Indian captain stated that India have never raised any issues with regards to the surfaces they have played on. Giving the example of India’s New Zealand tour early last year, Virat Kohli pointed out:

“We lost in New Zealand on Day 3 in 36 overs. I am sure none of our people wrote about the pitch. It was about how India played badly in New Zealand. None of the pitches were criticised... no one came and saw how much the pitch was doing, how much the ball was moving, and how much grass there was on the pitch."

“The reason for our success is we haven’t cribbed about any of the pitches we have played on, and we would continue to play like that as a team moving forward as well. It has always been the case - spinning tracks come into focus way more, and when the ball seams on a particular pitch and teams get bundled out for 40, 50 or 60.. no one writes about the pitch."

Speaking further on the issue, Virat Kohli added:

“It's always about bad batting. We all need to be very honest with ourselves - what space are we talking from and what's the idea behind continuing this narrative and what purpose it serves people to continue this conversation which is so one-sided.”

💬 "Unfortunate that there’s too much noise about spinning tracks."Ahead of the fourth @Paytm #INDvENG Test, #TeamIndia skipper @imVkohli weighs in on the discussion about pitches. pic.twitter.com/tcra6nj5Ys

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 3, 2021

India face England in the fourth and final Test of the series on Thursday.