MCA curator was asked to prepare slow turner for 5th ODI: Report

The report claims MCA curator was asked to prepare spin-friendly pitch three weeks ahead of the 5th ODI.

New Delhi: Giving a new twist to the controversy surrounding the Wankhede Stadium pitch for the fifth and final one-day international between India and South Africa, the curator has told that they had been asked to prepare a spin-friendly pitch.

A top source in the BCCI Ground and Pitch Committee told The Hindu that instructions were indeed conveyed to Ramesh Mamunkar (BCCI certified curator) that a “slow pitch that would assist the spinners” should be prepared for last match. The report added that Mamunkar was told that the guideline for all the five matches was a slow turner.

“Daljit Singh’s (Chairman-North) instructions were conveyed to Mamunkar on October 3 (three weeks before the last ODI at the Wankhede). Daljit also spoke to Mamunkar,’’ said a senior BCCI official.

The Wankhede pitch for the 5th ODI proved to be a flat track where Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and skipper AB de Villiers slammed tons and gave MS Dhoni-led India a mammoth 438-run target. India failed to get near the target and were thrashed by 214 runs.

Post the match, a spat was reported between Team India director Ravi Shastri, who is said to have made a scathing remark to MCA curator Sudhir Naik, who has taken the matter up with the officials.

The Mumbai Cricket Association's managing committee will discuss Naik's complaint of verbal abuse against Shastri on October 30 in Mumbai.