Former Indian opener Navjot Singh Sidhu came down heavily on Steve Waugh for criticizing Mahendra Singh Dhoni for demanding tracks that turn from the very first day, says a report in The Hindu.
“Ask Steve Waugh whether the Indian team gets a turning track when we visit Perth?,” asked Sidhu.
“Does Waugh wants that we gift the Test series to England? The track will be same for both teams,” Sidhu said.
“We are not here to give comfort to the English side. We would like to win this series. When we go to England, do they make tracks that offer turn? It is important for India to win this series. I have been saying since Day I that their strength is swing and ours is spin. More the number of spinners, better it is. If we play Harbhajan in Mumbai, then England will feel psychologically bogged down,” he added.
Steve Waugh earlier criticized Dhoni saying his comments were negative for the game, reports The Times of India.
"Dhoni's comments this morning were really negative to the game, when he said Indian curators to doctor the pitches, which I can't understand," Waugh said.
"You want to be aggressive and be the best in the world, you got to take all the conditions and not always ask for the conditions that suits your style of play. I was a bit surprised with that. I think if you are looking to be the best in the world you got to learn to play in all conditions," he added.
"I captained the side for 57 games and never once had a word with the curator about what sort of pitch we are going to play," Waugh said.
"You got to have to turn out of this, no players are bigger than the game and someone will always step up. Sometimes you get too carried away that experienced players are irreplaceable but the natural thing will happen, someone will step up to play and take that role. India will win this series, I think they will win it 3-0 because the pitches will suit their team," the former Australian skipper said.