England fast bowler Sam Curran expressed his strong criticism of theoutfield conditions at Dharamsala’s Himachal Pradesh Cricket AcademyStadium during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
It’s worth noting that numerous players and coaching staff from variousteams have openly criticized the ground’s poor condition through interviewsand social media. England’s captain, Jos Buttler, particularly voiced hisconcern about the quality of the outfield before their match againstBangladesh, describing it as poor.
He emphasized how such conditions force players to be cautious while divingor fielding, which contradicts the team’s desire to give their best. In aninterview, England pacer Sam Curran shared his relief that both teamsmanaged to get through the Bangladesh fixture without any injuries, giventhe challenging conditions they faced. He didn’t mince words when hereferred to the conditions as “pretty bad.”
His teammate, Reece Topley, also commented on the outfield, describing howit made their legs feel heavier than usual. He had to adjust his run-upbecause he couldn’t gain the usual distance in each stride.
However, he added that they accepted the unique challenge and followedtheir captain’s advice to “get on with it.” Even veteran Bangladeshcricketer Taskin Ahmed expressed his displeasure with the conditions inDharamsala.
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He mentioned that the outfield was soft and running was challenging due tothe off-balance feeling and slipping during the run-up. Taskin Ahmedemphasized that despite the unfavorable conditions, they couldn’t use it asan excuse and should have adjusted better.
It’s important to note that Dharamsala is scheduled to host three morematches in the tournament, including games between the Netherlands andSouth Africa, India and New Zealand, and a match between Australia and NewZealand.