Ravichandran Ashwin, India's premier off-spinner and one of the game's sharpest voices, has called for the establishment of permanent Test centres equipped with consistent, high-quality pitches to preserve the home advantage in red-ball cricket. Speaking on his Hindi YouTube channel, Ashwin highlighted the upcoming second Test against South Africa at Guwahati's Barsapara Cricket Stadium from November 22 to 26 as a potential "away game" for both teams due to the venue's unfamiliarity. As India's 21st Test centre, Barsapara—home to successful white-ball matches—will host its maiden five-day fixture, but Ashwin cautioned that rotating venues across diverse surfaces erodes the strategic edge teams gain from local knowledge.

Ashwin, with 527 Test wickets and a deep understanding of subcontinental conditions, echoed sentiments once voiced by Virat Kohli, urging the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to prioritise standardisation. "When we play a Test match in Guwahati, it is an away game from both South Africa and India. I don't think anybody in that Indian team has played a first-class game in Guwahati," he remarked.

The 39-year-old, who retired from international cricket earlier this year after a storied career, emphasised that familiarity with pitch behaviour—such as bounce, deterioration, and seasonal variations—is as vital as crowd support. "A test centre is not about crowds alone. It is about familiarity with your conditions." He praised emerging venues like Indore's Holkar Stadium for their red-soil mixes that offer consistent bounce, contrasting them with eastern Indian pitches where low carry and lack of wear frustrate spinners.

The critique arrives amid India's packed 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle, where the team faces South Africa in a two-Test series following their recent 2-0 home sweep over the West Indies. Guwahati's inclusion expands India's Test footprint to 21 venues, promoting inclusivity across regions but at the cost of preparation, Ashwin argued. "In Ranchi or Guwahati, the ball doesn't bounce. There is literally no bounce. The wicket doesn't deteriorate," he noted, explaining how such traits neutralise India's spin-heavy attack—a cornerstone of their 16 home Test wins since 2021. Ashwin advocated for pitches blending red and black clay to ensure fair contests, akin to Australia's varied yet predictable surfaces in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Perth. "If you make good cricket pitches, keep the test centre anywhere... There must be a mix of red clay and black clay, which ensures good cricket."

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Ashwin's intervention reignites a long-standing debate within Indian cricket circles, where the BCCI's rotation policy has drawn mixed reactions. While it fosters nationwide engagement—Guwahati's vibrant crowds rival Eden Gardens'—critics like Ashwin contend it handicaps the host team, turning "home" games into neutral battles.

He declined to name preferred centres, wary of bias accusations, but stressed that subpar preparations exacerbate issues: "When those venues don't have wickets that deteriorate, and when you make those wickets a little bad, they become unplayable." For the South Africa series, this could level the playing field against a Proteas side led by Aiden Markram, who boasts a balanced attack but limited spin options. As India integrates young talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal post their West Indies triumph, Ashwin's blueprint could influence future scheduling, ensuring pitches that evolve over five days to reward skill over survival.

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