The Perth Test ended in less than two days with 32 wickets falling, including 19 on Day One, but as yet there’s not a word of criticism about the pitch that favoured pacers. So when the pitch affords turn in India, it should be accepted too

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc has England skipper Ben Stokes clean bowled on Day One of the first Test in Perth. PIC/GETTY IMAGES

I was fortunate that in my very first year in international cricket, I was able to travel to the then three major cricketing nations in the game. My debut series was in the West Indies, followed a couple of months later with a tour to England. We won both the series, the first time India had beaten those countries in their dens. Barely six weeks after the England tour had finished, it was my great good luck to be picked by none other than Sir Don Bradman to be part of the Rest of the World team captained by the GOAT, Garfield Sobers to tour Australia. This was after the Australian government withdrew the invitation to the South African team that was to play a five-match Test series in Australia.

Aussies united like no other

That trip not only gave me the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the greatest names in the game, but........

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