WTC: Amarnath for neutral curators

Former India all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath wants the ICC to introduce neural curators and ensure a winner is decided in the next World Test Championship cycle.

Amarnath said the games finishing in two days like the day-night Test against England in Ahmedabad is not fair competition.

“You should play on quality wickets. When you play on quality wickets, it doesn’t matter where you are playing. Then it is a fair competition.

“The ICC should form a panel of neutral curators like they have for neutral umpires. That team should follow the ICC guidelines and ensure the game goes into the fifth day,” Amarnath told PTI on Friday.

No joint winner

The WTC mace would have been shared if the final between India and New Zealand ended in a draw or tie. Amarnath feels this is another aspect the ICC must tweak in the next cycle.

“A final means there can’t be any joint winners in any sport. Whether it is one game or a best of three final. They have to complete the final.”

India is currently in need of a seam bowling all-rounder like Amarnath with Hardik Pandya being left out of the Test team due to his inability to bowl regularly. The 70-year-old said it is tough to produce that breed.

“They don’t come just like that. They come once in a decade or once in 20 years. I am sure somebody will come but it will come from the longer version of the game,” he said.

Meanwhile, former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar is ‘amazed’ at the news that Virat Kohli and his men will be on a “three-week holiday” before the start of England Test series after “poor preparation” cost them the WTC final against New Zealand.

Vengsarkar, a former chief selector, feels India played well over the two-year WTC cycle but their preparation for the final was far from ideal.

“I don’t know how we approach this kind of an itinerary. Where you go for a holiday in-between and then come back to play Test matches. One week break was enough post the WTC final. The thing is you need to play continuously. I am amazed this itinerary was approved.”