Chepauk pitch is incredibly challenging, says Thorpe

India’s Axar Patel celebrates the wicket of England captain Joe Root in Chennai yesterday. Pic/PTI

It is an incredibly challenging surface, said England assistant coach Graham Thorpe as India took the upper hand after dismissing England for 134 in their first innings on Sunday.

England assistant coach Graham Thorpe

Former greats Shane Warne and Michael Vaughan countered each other while debating on the quality of the pitch but Thorpe played safe when asked about the quality of the pitch. "It's a very challenging surface that is what I am going to say. In terms of me commenting on the pitch, that's for someone above me to look at.

"It was incredibly challenging on that surface for us on Day Two. Theirs is obviously a very skilled spin attack as well in their own conditions. And it was a very good toss to win," Thorpe said post-day press conference.

Warne on Sunday hit back at former England captain Vaughan, who had slammed the Chepauk Test surface.

Decisions by the third umpire have come in for criticism in the match so far and on Sunday there was an issue over Rohit Sharma being ruled not out on review after he was ruled out by the on-field umpire.

However, Thorpe offered a straight bat, saying "we have to accept the decision. We have to trust the technology," the former England batsman said when asked if there was a sense of frustration with the Decision Review System.

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