The International Cricket Council is seriously pondering doing away with the toss of coin in Test matches. Reason? It wants to ensure that in the World Championship of the longest format beginning next year, no country takes undue advantage of home conditions. That it is a preventive thought, and not a matter of keeping up with modernisation like embracing the Decision Review System, is a sad reflection of the state of affairs. It is an acceptance that establishments entrusted with maintaining standards of neutrality in playing conditions have repeatedly failed in their duties.
A look at the official record of pitches deemed poor or unsporting in the last few years shows that the subcontinent was the epicentre of such activities. Once the home of doctored pitches, Pakistan has gone quiet on this front after being forced to play home matches in UAE, but the rest of the countries from time to time keep rolling out strips that aid spinners from the first hour. Bigger the stakes, greater the urge to adopt this ploy. India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have all done it, mainly against teams like Australia, South Africa and England. Even ICC chairman Shashank Manohar’s home association of Vidarbha received a warning for producing a surface in Nagpur that assisted excessive spin.
The practice is rampant because laws dealing with it are lax. The ICC issues warnings and slaps fines but stops short of suspending the venue for inability to conform with standards. Although at a lesser frequency, pitches receive adverse ratings in South Africa, Australia, England and New Zealand too. Instead of getting sentimental, the cricket body’s move should be viewed practically. When top names in cricket are speaking in favour of letting the visiting captain choose whether he wants to bat or bowl, it has to be acknowledged that there is merit in this idea. Things have come to this because a malpractice is threatening widespread damage. If scrapping the toss is the remedy to make Test cricket a fair affair, then so be it.