Xtra Time Web Desk: England captain Joe Root termed the wicket at the Narendra Modi Stadium as a challenging one after his side lost to India by 10 wickets in the Pink Ball Test inside two days on Thursday. Root accepted they were totally outplayed by India in the Pink Ball Test. During the post-match virtual press conference, the English captain said that it is up to the ICC, and not the players, to decide whether the ‘difficult’ Motera pitch is suitable for Test cricket. He added that the global cricketing body should consider the suitability of the pitch for the longest format of the game.
“I think that this surface, it’s a very challenging one, is a very difficult one to play on. It is not for players to decide whether it is fit for purpose or not and that is up to the ICC. As players we are going to try and counter what is in front of us as best as we can,” said Root.
Before England were bowled out for a paltry 81, Root claimed a career-best five-wicket haul and returned with the figures of 5 for 8. Root said his team missed the opportunity to get a big first-innings total, which seemed possible when it was 70 odd for just two wickets.
“We are disappointed, I feel we have missed an opportunity, more so in the first innings than anything. The position we found ourselves in at 71/2, we had a real chance to (score big). In hindsight, if we would have got 200, that would have been a very good score on that wicket and the game would have looked completely different,” Root said.
“We have got to get better and we are going to keep looking to find a way to scoring runs on surfaces like this,” he added.
With the loss in Pink Ball Test, England are left with no chance to qualify for the World Test Championship final at Lords later this year.
The fourth and the final Test will be played at the same venue from March 4.