India vs West Indies: Saurashtra Cricket Association unhappy with BCCI curators taking charge for Rajkot Test

New Delhi: Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) is upset at BCCI’s decision to send its own curators for pitch preparation ahead of the first Test starting in Rajkot on Thursday even though the parent’s body move is considered ‘standard practice’. Saurashtra strongman Niranjan Shah, who ruled SCA for more than four decades before being made ineligible in the wake of the Lodha recommendations, has slammed BCCI for sending its own curators. [caption id=“attachment_3347768” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. AFP[/caption] In an interview given to Hindustan Times, Shah said BCCI has set a wrong precedent by sending its own curators. “This is 100 per cent humiliating for the local curator and groundstaff. Are you trying to say that the local staff isn’t capable enough to prepare wickets for the game? We have hosted games over the years and I don’t think there have been any cases of bad reports coming in. Are you telling me that tomorrow the wicket at Wankhede Stadium will be prepared by BCCI curators and not the local curators at the MCA? This is a very wrong precedent that is being set," Shah said. His comments come as BCCI curators Daljit Singh and Vishwajit Padyar have taken charge of the wicket in Rajkot. However, a veteran curator, who requested anonymity, told PTI that BCCI curators helping out the local ground staff is standard practice. “I don’t know what issue SCA has but BCCI curators helping out the local ground staff and monitoring pitch preparation is standard practice. It happens all the time including in Ranji Trophy. So, I fail to understand what the issue is,” said the curator. The Indian team management has reportedly asked for bouncy pitches for the two Tests against the West Indies in Rajkot (4-8 October) and Hyderabad (12-16), keeping in mind the long tour of Australia beginning late in November. The West Indies play their final game of the India tour on 11 November while the first T20 between India and Australia is scheduled for November 21 at the Gabba in Brisbane. That narrow 10-day window leaves India with little time to prepare, as pointed out by coach Ravi Shastri after the team’s yet another overseas Test series loss, against England, last month. It will be hard to simulate conditions during the course of the home series against the West Indies comprising two Tests, five ODIs and three T20s. Come Thursday, Rajkot will be hosting its second ever Test, following the debut match between India and England two years ago when the game ended in a draw.