Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has advised Australian batsmen to show patience with the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane following their collapse during the fourth Ashes Test in Melbourne. Australia were bundled out for 152 and 132 in two innings as they struggled to score runs on a green wicket.
Their batting collapses eventually led to them losing their first Test against England at home in over 15 years. Former cricketer Matthew Hayden has already called for changes to Australia’s coaching set-up after repeated batting failures.
Amid growing scrutiny, Robin Uthappa has come up with a tip for Australian batsmen to suffer at the crease like former India batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane on difficult pitches.
“You see, it’s a dichotomous situation. It’s not like it’s an impossible wicket. In Melbourne, there are wickets that are very juicy for fast bowlers. I think it’s because of the way cricket is played today. I feel these pitches are unsporting, but if you have the right technique, the right mindset and fight, you won’t be able to come up with that solution. A high-scoring game won’t be a 300-plus game, but 250 on that wicket is possible to play like Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane.
Uthappa further mentioned how Joe Root also looked clueless when batting on such surfaces and expressed his disappointment with the Test matches ending in two days.
“I say that with a grain of salt because the way we play Test cricket has changed now. I don’t enjoy it much, like the Ashes Test matches, which are over in two days. What are we doing with sports for fun? Joe Root was lost in that Test match too. He didn’t know whether to play attacking cricket or play his way,” he said in the second innings. It was quite unfortunate with them.
Meanwhile, despite the collapse of the MCG, the pitch at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) made headlines ahead of fifth Test of the Ashes 2025–26 for having good grass coverstarting January 4th. The last Test played at the venue during the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) also ended in two-and-a-half days with no team going past 185 in four innings. It remains to be seen how much grass will be cut from the SCG surface when it is finally revealed for the final Test, with the pressure on curator Adam Lewis to produce a sporting wicket.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
January 2, 2026
