Everyone starts crying when it spins: Lyon on Motera pitch

New Delhi, February 28

Australia spinner Nathan Lyon said he is baffled by the controversy over the Ahmedabad pitch for the third Test between India and England, saying no one has an issue when teams are bundled out for low scores on seaming tracks. The Motera track received a lot of flak for being spin-friendly, including from former skippers Michael Vaughan, Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook, after England were bowled out for 112 and 81 during their 10-wicket loss in the Day/Night Test.

However, Lyon gave a thumbs up to the pitch and the curator. “We play on seaming wickets around the world and get bowled out for 47, 60. Nobody ever says a thing (about the pitch). But as soon as it starts spinning, everyone in the world seems to start crying about it,” Lyon told an Australian newspaper. “I don’t get it. I’m all for it, it was entertaining.”

Lyon said he would like to get the Ahmedabad curator to Sydney Cricket Ground.

“I was up all night watching it. It was absolutely brilliant. I’m thinking about bringing that curator out to the SCG,” he said, and added: “The best thing about this Test match that just passed is that England went in with four seamers. That will do me. I don’t need to say any more.”

India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had criticised those who questioned the nature of the Ahmedabad pitch by asking — who defines what a good pitch is?

“The bowler wins the game, the batsmen need to bat well to score runs. Who defines what a good surface is? Seam on the first day, then bat well in the next couple of days and spin on the last two days! Come on, who makes these rules?” Ashwin asked. — TNS