The England cricket team defeated India by 227 runs to start of the four-match Test series in stunning fashion at Chennai taking a critical 1-0 lead. While things did work out in favour of the visitors, one thing that both sides were not happy about the Chepauk pitch.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli, after the clash had said, he was disappointed with the pitch. "The reality of the situation is that the pitch was very flat and slow," he said.
"I'm not saying that as an excuse and that we will hold onto as a team. But you have to understand the reality of what went on.
"That was the case in the first two days. Even day three when the wicket really started to change. Before that, it was a really flat and slow pitch. When you get big runs on the board the opposition is inevitably put under pressure. You have to understand those are the dynamics of cricket and how the game moves forward and works".
Joining him now in the talks about the pitch was England pacer Jofra Archer. The bowler had some harsh words to say.
"On the fifth day, it was probably the worst surface I've seen — its orange colour, bits missing, rough patches for the bowlers to aim at. When we walked out in search of nine wickets on the fifth day, I was very hopeful we would complete the job — although these Indian players have big reputations and are at home, so should be able to cope with conditions better than anyone. So, I didn’t expect us to skittle them. Equally, I didn't expect it to finish not long after afternoon drinks," Archer wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.
As for the Indian captain, he even complained about the quality of the ball used for the first Test. "The quality of ball too was not something we were very pleased to see. That has been an issue in the past as well.
"The ball seemed to be destroyed in 60 overs and that is not something you experience as a Test side. That was the reality of the first two days.
"It is not an excuse, England played better cricket than us and deserved to win."