Dinesh Karthik questions flat pitches after India's eight-wicket win
Dinesh Karthik says flat pitches risk making bilateral matches meaningless after India chased 171 in 14.4 overs.
Former India wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik raised concerns about flat pitches after India chased down 171 to beat West Indies by eight wickets in the first T20I at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday. He said one-sided matches risk becoming meaningless when teams score 170 and the opposition finishes the chase inside 15 overs.
Karthik noted that India have won their last eight home T20Is and recorded only four losses in their last 30 matches at home. He questioned whether the pitches offered enough for spinners and said West Indies showed little fight after India lost two early wickets in the chase.
India face West Indies again in Ranchi on Friday. The JSCA Stadium has not seen a 200-run total in its four previous T20Is since 2016.
CricHubb Take
Karthik's remarks point to a structural problem: India keep winning, but the margins suggest the conditions rather than the opposition are deciding results. If home pitches stay this flat, the gap between India's batting depth and everyone else's will widen, not shrink.