CHENNAI: Green top has been a common characteristic in 13 out of 15 pink ball Tests played so far. It includes Eden Gardens' pitch which was the only instance when India have played a day-night Test at home. As India prepare to face England at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad, which will be a day-night affair, it is once again the pitch, which is in the limelight.
The perception with regards to D/N Tests has been that grass cover on the pitch will ensure the pink ball doesn't lose colour easily. Considering it a factor, curators have ended up leaving a fair amount of grass that will last right through the Test so that the pink ball doesn't lose its shine. This also means the seamers have enjoyed bowling with the pink ball, which has a tendency to swing a lot more than the red cherry. It is not that spinners have found the pink ball to be a difficult one to bowl with. From Nathan Lyon to Yasir Shah, they have picked up wickets with it. In the D/N Test against Australia in December, Ravichandran Ashwin found turn picking up five wickets in the match.
With the series tied 1-1, India can't afford to lose another Test should they wish to qualify for the ICC World Test Championship final. These two Tests are crucial for India to progress as a win and a draw is all that they need to meet New Zealand in the summit clash in June. Going by the visuals shared by England team's media manager, the grass cover on the pitch is getting reduced each day, with the red soil visible in patches at a few areas. With three more days to go for the Test, how much of it remains is the question that not many have an answer to. But if it ends up on the greener side, the visitors would feel more at home than India, never mind how potent the hosts' pace attack is.
Eden Gardens' Ashish Bowmick, who prepared the pitch for D/N Test against Bangladesh, is overseeing the preparations at the Sardar Patel Stadium alongside local curator Jayesh Patel. The indications are that the duo might take a cue from the two pitches that were used at Dubai International Cricket Stadium where spinners called the shots with the pink ball played on dry surfaces that had no grass cover.
On Saturday, Cheteshwar Pujara said the inexperience of the Indian players with regards to playing with the pink ball is making it difficult to say whether grass cover is needed or not. Though India have two day-night Tests to their name, both have been played with two different balls – SG and Kookaburra. “It is very difficult to say anything about it because we have played only one day-night Test with the SG ball. It is very difficult to say whether you need grass cover or you can take it off. We are at a stage where we don't have that much experience as players, but we are trying to figure out,” Pujara said.
In the one practice session India have had under lights, dew has been a constant factor and they believe it would play a huge role in the final session, which means spinners could find it difficult to operate under lights. This means India have plenty to ponder with regards to the team composition. As far as grass cover goes, Pujara said it is better to wait and watch. “We have three-four days (for the Test) and a lot could change. It looks decent pitch but it's difficult to predict anything, considering we're playing with a pink ball. You expect something, but it could turn out to be something else. I want to just try and keep things simple and not worry too much about the pitch,” he said.
No Pandya
Even though Hardik Pandya was seen practising with the pink-ball in Chennai, the all-rounder is unlikely to feature in the third Test. It is understood that India don't want to risk him by featuring in the longer format as they are keen on using his bowling skills for the T20 World Cup. Even since he picked up a back-injury for which he underwent surgery, Pandya has not been part of Test scheme of things.