Kohli’s natural game helped him at Wanderers

bit to be desired. His minimal footwork leaves him vulnerable to the short ball and it was this, rather than the spiteful pitch that caused him to receive a nasty blow to the helmet.

Although the officials claimed it wasn’t the blow to Elgar that led them to abandon play for the day and consider not completing the Test, the timing of their decision wasn’t ideal. It was an affront to Kohli and the Indian batsmen who had bravely amassed a testing lead on exactly the same surface to put themselves in a winning position.

Elgar later claimed that the match should have been called off earlier but he only had to look around his own dressing room to find the culprit for his many bruises. His captain, Faf du Plessis, had pleaded for a pitch that helped the paceman and it backfired in more ways than just losing a Test match.

I’ve always believed that pitch preparation should be left entirely to the ground staff. Nobody -- neither captains nor coaches nor administrators -should have an input into the type of surface provided and if it turns out to be not up to standard, then the curator is the man to question.

I’m all for pitches that make it a contest between bat and ball. The best Test matches are the ones when this occurs. The Adelaide Oval pitch for their Day/ Night encounters has been a superb example and three enthralling Tests have ensued.

If curators are allowed to provide good pitches that challenge all players then Test cricket can be an entertaining spectacle that doesn’t unduly endanger the performers.