'Worst Surface I’ve Seen': Jofra Archer On Chennai Pitch

In England's win against India in the first Test at Chennai, Jofra Archer played a crucial role in not only picking wickets but creating pressure from one end for the other bowlers to do the damage. 

Although Archer took just three wickets in the match, it was the impact that he made on the opposition was crucial from England's point of view. He removed both Indian openers - Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill early in the first innings when India was trailing a mammoth total of 578. 

In the first test, the pitch played a crucial role in the visitors' win. On the first two days, the pitch was well suited for batsmen and did nothing in favor of bowlers as England piled on over 550 runs in the first innings. From day 3, the pitch started to crack and do its tricks resulting in bowlers finally coming into play.

On day 5, England was to defend 420. They bowled India out inside two sessions. Archer termed the Chennai pitch ''the worst' he has seen. 

 

“On the fifth day it was probably the worst surface I’ve seen — its orange color, bits missing, rough patches for the bowlers to aim at,” he said.

“I’d not played first-class cricket here (in India) before last week, but I know from experience of the IPL that most wickets in India deteriorate significantly, and seeing how the pitch changed during this Test shows us what we have in store,” Archer wrote in his column for Daily Mail.

Jofra Archer troubled R Ashwin on day 5 with a barrage of bouncers on the Indian off-spinner. He said that it wasn't a team plan but he wanted to do something different to 'unsettle' Ashwin. 

England leads the four test match series 1-0. The second test between India and England will begin from 13th February, Saturday in Chennai.