Pitch doesn’t score runs, batsmen do: Prabir Mukherjee

While MS Dhoni was taking a look at the wicket for Saturday’s T20 match against England, one could sense the discomfort in Prabir Mukherjee’s mind. The curator, who was talking to India coach Duncan Fletcher, extended his hand to Dhoni, who returned the favour.

Although Dhoni spent some time in the middle of the ground, he did not speak to Mukherjee, clearly indicating that all was not well.After Tuesday’s ODI, Dhoni had remarked that “it was a very ugly-looking wicket” and they were “fortunate” to have scored 270-plus.

Mukherjee wasn’t too happy with the comments and he did not hide his feelings. “Well, Fletcher has told me that he is happy with the wicket,” Mukherjee said when asked for his reaction on Dhoni’s remarks. “The wicket doesn’t score runs, the batsmen have to do that. Moreover, the pitch is not a cracker that will burst with runs once you light it with a match stick,” said Mukherjee, when asked about the wicket for Saturday’s T20 game.

Robin Uthappa, who came for the pre-match conference, pointed out that the practice wickets were “slow” and hoped that the match wicket would be better. He was indicating that the team was not too happy with the strip.

England skipper Graeme Swann said it was a “strange-looking wicket” that turned too much during the second innings of the fifth ODI.

This is not the first time that Mukherjee has come under attack from the Indian camp. In 2005, he had laid a greentop that helped South Africa beat India by 10 wickets. The move made headlines as it was alleged that Mukherjee had deliberately prepared a greentop to help the visitors as Sourav Ganguly was part of the Indian team.