He once put green in Green Park, India paid the price

In the time of the pitches debate, Chhotelal’s statement is telling. Never in his 22-year stint has anyone encouraged him to make a fast wicket. But things are different when the pitch is cracking, the ball is turning and the visitors are clueless.

‘‘In the ’96 Test against South Africa, on a turning track, India scored a big win. After the match, captain Azhar and coach Madan Lal gave me Rs 10,000 as baksheesh’’, he says with a wry smile.

The irony of Indian cricket is that, for all its modern processes and global aspirations, ground realities are held ransom to the baksheesh given to someone who earns Rs 1,100 per month. Any wonder, then that the green revolution — despite pitches committee, curators and soil analysts from abroad — has seen a red light?

Despite their years of experience, the humble groundstaff across the country experience a class divide. The certified pitch experts dismiss them as malis and have repeatedly insisted that they need to be trained at a workshop. Chhotelal agrees, to some extent, that groundsmen at some centres need to be trained but he says that most of the time it is the pressure before the match which forces them to avoid making fast tracks.

‘‘I don’t need to attend a workshop to make a fast track. Sitting here in the stands I can predict the way the pitch will behave on all the five days of a Test. I can prepare a fast track. But the question is: Are our players ready for it?’’ he asks.

Chhotelal ridicules the debate on fast pitches. ‘‘Everybody is talking about fast wickets. It would be foolhardy to have green tracks for home Tests. Forget abroad, we won’t win even at home. All we need are sporting tracks,’’ he says.

But with pitches being re-laid across the country, does he think a noticeable change in overall results possible? He just smiles and says: ‘‘Not quite. We can win at home. But if players show the will to play on green tracks, chances are that our away-record will improve.’’