India, Jan. 5 -- To any avid follower of cricket, there appears to be an unspoken rule in global commentary. When a Test match in India finishes in two or three days, the pitch is swiftly put on trial. Elsewhere, the same outcome is treated as a benign anomaly, with the burden of failure placed on the batsmen rather than the pitch. This asymmetry is rarely acknowledged, yet it shapes the narrative around Indian conditions far more than evidence ever does.

To be clear, India is not above reproach. There have been occasions when pitches here have been under-prepared or have tilted too sharply towards bowlers. Acknowledging this is necessary if the debate is to be credible. But acknowledging this is very different from accepting the disprop...