India, Jan. 1 -- Robin Uthappa has offered a blunt read on the MCG Test surface: difficult, seam-friendly, but nowhere near unplayable. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he argued that wickets like these only look extreme because modern batting has drifted away from patience.

His core point is simple: accept that 250 can be a strong score here, and then bat like it, with method, discipline, and a refusal to flinch.

"See, it's a dichotomous situation. It's not like it's an impossible wicket. There are such wickets in Melbourne which are very juicy for fast bowlers... I think it's because of the way cricket is played today. I feel like these pitches are unsporty, but if you have the right technique and the right mindset and the fight in yo...