Sangakkara: Kotla was too unsafe for play to continue

Kumar Sangakkara, breaking his silence on the Ferozeshah Kotla pitch controversy, accused the track of being abnormal and too hazardous for play to continue.

Speaking on the pitch fiasco, the Sri Lankan captain said the track lost its “normal” character soon after the first five overs and became too dangerous to proceed.

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“Even after 6-10 overs, we sensed the pitch wasn’t behaving normally. But the match referee (Alan Hurst) said, ‘I can’t intervene; it’s up to the on-field umpires,'” Sangakkara explained.

On-Field Batsmen Had to Raise Concerns, Says Sangakkara

“We contacted the fourth umpire, but as players outside the field, we couldn’t directly request a decision. The on-field batsmen had to raise the concern,” he said after returning from India, where Sri Lanka lost both the Test and ODI series.

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Umpires Waited as Pitch Deteriorated, Says Sangakkara

Sangakkara noted that the umpires initially waited to see if the pitch would settle. “By the 23rd over, it was evident that the surface hadn’t improved. Then (Muthumudalige) Pushpakumara got hit, and (Thilina) Kandamby narrowly avoided injury,” he told reporters.

He stressed the importance of player safety, criticizing the unpredictable pitch conditions. “In such situations, players can’t focus on their game because safety becomes the primary concern,” he added.

While acknowledging that teams should adapt to challenging conditions, Sangakkara argued that the Kotla pitch crossed the line. “There’s a big difference between a challenging pitch and a dangerous one,” he concluded.