The team has done much to cushion the disappointment of a shocking first Test defeat to host Bangladesh as Rohit Sharma prepares his side for another session in Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, a venue which should be stiff enough for Bangladesh to assert a comeback. A win or draw in the second Test, starting on September 27, will decide whether India will gain their 18th straight home Test series victory. India has been unbeaten at home in Test series since 2013.
Kanpur Pitch Gets Prepared For IND Vs BAN, 2nd Test
Curator Shivkumar has been busy preparing two pitches at the stadium. As of September 24, just three days to the game, heavy work was concentrated on both center pitches. The left pitch was regularly watered on an hourly basis and always covered. On the morning of September 26, Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe said Two pitches have been prepared, but which one is going to be used remains to be decided.
“There will be that Chennai match feeling. It will have something for everyone. It will offer bounce in the first two sessions and it will be pretty good for batting for the first two days. Then, the spinners will come into play on the last three days,” curator Shiv Kumar told PTI.
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The two center wickets looked almost the same by Tuesday, but pitch 6, turned a couple of shades greener overnight. The Indian team started training on Wednesday afternoon, and by then head coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar met the curators.
Trying To Prepare Pitch With Lesser Grass
It seemed that the Indian management wished for a pitch with lesser grass. Grounds staff were seen to be cutting out dead grass from pitch 7 after their meeting. The Indian pacers and spinners visited this very closely. What was interesting is that the stump mic on pitch 7 was checked by broadcasters, that means a final call on which pitch to use remained in the balance as the match approached.
Akashdeep On Pitch Conditions
Pacer Akash Deep responded to inquiries regarding the pitch, expressing confidence that the team is prepared to deliver strong performances regardless of the conditions.
“Whatever the wicket is like, if I play, my job is to put the ball in good areas. From what I have seen, the Kanpur pitch is a sporting wicket, not a batter’s wicket,” Akash Deep commented.
Spin Friendly Pitch For IND Vs BAN, 2nd Test
The pitch has black soil which has been brought from Mitti Village near Unnao, a place 23kms away from Kanpur.
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The pitch is expected to assist spinners hence the pitch will be slow.
“We get this soil tested from the Indian Institute of Technology. It’s a special soil that is found near a pond in village Kali Mitti. It (bringing black soil from the village) is a practice we have been following for years,” said an UPCA official.
