espnstar.com's Ayanjit Sen bats for more sporting tracks to sustain interest in Test cricket.

It is time the barren lands stay away from Test cricket. Seven hundreds were made in the Ahmedabad Test and only 21 wickets fell in five days.

The pitch curator Dhiraj Parsana said before the match that he had tried to build a result-oriented pitch.

But the way runs were plundered in this lifeless track only dampened the enthusiasm of the bowlers who toiled hard.

It helped the batsmen improve their averages and gave sleepless nights to bowlers leaving no scope for an even contest.

It is not the ideal advertisement for Test cricket, with the surface standing firm even on the fifth day.

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Even the highest wicket taker in the world, Muttiah Muralitharan returned with ordinary figures.

However, the Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, did not blame the pitch for this dull draw.

He said he had seen flatter tracks than this.

Neither did the track help the spinners nor the fast bowlers. The spinners did not get the bounce and the turn in this placid track while the wicket got slower and slower for the fast bowlers.

Even the natural wear and tear was no where to be seen reminding spectators of the Colombo wicket in 1997. Sri Lanka scored a record 952 runs for seven wickets.

Last time India played a Test at the Sardar Patel stadium, the curator was criticised for green top wicket that had disastrous consequences for the home team.

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But there is a weather element also involved in the way the pitch turned out to be in this Test match.

The wicket was not baked as it is the beginning of winter and it did not develop any cracks either.

However, sporting tracks are essential to sustain interest in Test cricket. Records and milestones are always welcome provided the bowlers also get a share of the pie.

In an era where the shorter version of the game is in demand, the quality of playing surfaces should always be taken into consideration in the longer format.

Yes, the Indians showed a lot of spunk to save the match. India managed a spectacular recovery from 32 for four wickets on the first morning. Too many lose deliveries from the Lankans after that initial burst allowed the Indian batsmen to put up a healthy total in their first innings.

However, despite a draw, the Lankans dominated the match.

Over to Kanpur.

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