Playing on rank-turners for WTC points at home backfired on India: Cheteshwar Pujara

Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has raised concerns over the use of rank turners in India, warning that such pitches have damaged both the team's batting and the larger fabric of Test cricket. He admitted that these tracks were prepared deliberately during the World Test Championship cycle to ensure results, but stressed that the move has proved counterproductive.

India's gamble with spin-friendly conditions backfired in the last WTC cycle, as the team failed to qualify for the final after suffering a string of defeats. The biggest blow came in October 2024, when India were handed a 0-3 whitewash by New Zealand at home - their first Test series defeat on home soil since 2012, when England triumphed.

The spin-heavy pitches completely dictated the contest. Out of 108 wickets that fell across the series, 81 went to spinners, with Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santner consistently dismantling India's batting order.

'Skills often get taken out of the game'

Pujara stressed that on pitches turning from Day 1, batters are forced to depend more on luck than skill, often looking for quick runs instead of settling in.

"I thought it had a big impact on Indian batting and Test cricket as a whole. The reason those kinds of tracks were prepared was because of the World Test Championship, where teams wanted results from every game. But I don't think that was ideal for Test cricket," Pujara said in an exclusive interview with India Today.

"Going forward, I'm sure the management and everyone involved has realized that when you prepare such surfaces, a batter needs a lot of luck to score runs. Your skills often get taken out of the game, and you're forced to play bravely, looking to score quick 40s, 50s, or 60s-whatever you can manage," Pujara said.

The 37-year-old Pujara, who announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket on Sunday, August 24, said India should focus on preparing sporting pitches, similar to many other countries.

"I think things are changing now. Most teams are playing on better pitches, and I hope India also continues to do so. I'm not saying the ball shouldn't turn-it should-but matches shouldn't finish in three or three-and-a-half days. Ideally, we should be playing on good pitches where games last into the fourth or fifth day," Pujara added.

As far as Pujara is concerned, he remained the bedrock of India's Test batting for 13 years, with his last appearance coming in the 2023 World Test Championship final. He retired with 7,195 runs from 103 Tests, including 19 centuries and a highest score of 206 not out.

Pujara also featured in five ODIs and played 30 matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL), turning out for Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).