The former Indian batter Robin Uthappa has made a bold statement as he shared his clear and honest view on the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) pitch used for the Boxing Day Test between Australia and England last month. The fourth Ashes 2025-26 Test ended inside two days.
Uthappa’s MCG Pitch Verdict: Tough, But Not Impossible
Analyzing the MCG pitch, Robin Uthappa delivered a powerful reminder of Test cricket’s timeless fundamentals, arguing that the surface exposes a fundamental shift in batting mentality. He decoded the challenging conditions to explain why “patience and fight” remain the non-negotiable keys to success in such conditions, as neither of the innings yielded 200 runs in the Boxing Day Test.
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He was quoted as saying by the Times of India, “See, it’s a dichotomous situation. It’s not like it’s an impossible wicket. There are such wickets in Melbourne, which are very juicy for fast bowlers… I think it’s because of the way cricket is played today.”
Uthappa admitted that the Melbourne wicket clearly helped fast bowlers, offering consistent seam movement and bounce, and that made it really tough for the batters to bat on throughout the fourth Ashes Test match. However, he made it clear that the pitch itself was not the real problem.
The Lost Art of the Grind: Why Modern Batters Struggle
Uthappa has boldly said that the key issue isn’t technical but philosophical. He pointed out that the pitches like MCG look extreme mainly because modern batting has moved away from patience, problem-solving, disciplined defense, and the ability to fight for long periods at the crease.
The cricket pandit has further stressed that teams need to reset their mindset on challenging pitches like these. He noted that the teams should understand that totals around 250 can be very competitive, and can be achieved when batters are ready to grind, defend well, stay disciplined, and resist the urge to attack too early.
Uthappa’s Blueprint for Batting on Tough Surfaces Like MG: Pujara and Rahane as the Template
The former Indian batter explained that a pitch does not need to feel perfectly fair or balanced for batters to succeed. If a player has a solid defense and a clear mindset, they still have control, citing the ideal example of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
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Both Pujara and Rahane are known for leaving the ball well, trusting their technique, and valuing time at the crease. They treat pressure as something temporary rather than something that decides the game instantly, and Uthappa feels modern batters must adapt to this situation on such tracks.
He added, “I feel like these pitches are unsporty, but if you have the right technique and the right mindset and the fight in you, you’ll be able to figure out a solution for this kind of a wicket also. It’s not a high-scoring game, but it’s not… It won’t be a 300-plus game, but even a 250 on this wicket is possible. You have to fight it out. Play it like Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. Definitely, you’ll score runs.”
The Modern Batting Dilemma: Attack vs Grind
Uthappa highlighted Joe Root’s struggles during the second Test in Brisbane as he pinpointed a critical confusion in contemporary Test batting. He felt Root’s dismissal reflected a bigger issue in today’s Test cricket, where batters often look unsure whether to attack or stick to their natural game. This confusion, especially on challenging pitches, leads to such poor performances.
He signed off by saying, “I am saying this with a grain of salt because the way we’re playing Test cricket has now changed. I don’t enjoy it a lot, like Ashes Test matches that finished in two days. What are we doing to the sport for entertainment? Joe Root also lost in that Test match. He didn’t know how to play, play attacking cricket, or play his own way in the second innings. It was quite unfortunate… I empathize with them.”
