Surface tension to the fore as Virat and Co head east
If Virat Kohli was asked to give his opinion on what he dislikes most about the ongoing series against Australia, the chances are India’s captain would bemoan the introduction of three new Test venues.
Pune made its Test debut in the first Test and now Ranchi and Dharamsala wait their turn.
On the Pune pitch which subsequently earned a “poor rating” from the match referee, Steve O’Keefe and Nathan Lyon combined to punch holes in the popular perception that Indian batsmen were the masters of spin.
Back in the familiar confines of Bangalore, Kohli’s men prevailed in four days.
Kohli has established a reputation as a man of many emotions and anxiety is likely to be the most dominant of them when he looks ahead to next week’s third Test in Ranchi.
“We can’t do much about the Ranchi pitch, you know how it’s always been,” the 28-year-old said after the victory in Bangalore, effectively conceding any thoughts of a ‘home advantage’ when the rivalry resumes. “It’s always been slow and low, they know exactly what to expect there and we know what to expect as well. It’s how you mentally prepare, mentally what kind of zone you are in as a team,” Kohli said.
‘BALANCED WICKET’
Pitch curator SB Singh has prepared three strips for the match and promised that any one of them would lead to a fair contest between bat and ball.
“The team will choose the strip two days before the match,” Singh told NDTV. “The pitch will suit both the batsmen and bowlers, and will definitely last five days,” he added.
As for more tips on the vagaries of the new pitch, Kohli would do well to contact India’s last captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who inspected the ground on Thursday.
The fourth and final Test will also be played at a new venue when the teams line up at Dharamsala on March 25.