Tag: holkar stadium pitch

Sports

Australian win raises questions about India’s pitch strategy for the series

[ad_1] Bamboozled! Even Pujara, who gave a good account of himself in the second innings, had no clue on negotiating the pitch in the first outing. | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy Australia defeated India at its own game on a viciously turning pitch used for the third Test at the Holkar Stadium here. The nature of the pitch earned it three demerit points from Match Referee Chris Broad. A definite blot. This Indian team has a potent pace attack. One that exceeded expectations on foreign soil, and won successive series on the bouncy Australian pitches. Why then such dry, wickedly turning tracks with uneven bounce where you can see puffs of dust from the first over of the Test? Negative mindset India preparing such tracks, loaded in favour of spinners, where cricket happens in fast...
Sports

IND vs AUS: Why did the Indore pitch offer wicked turn and variable bounce on the morning of Day 1?

[ad_1] The pitch which was a mix of red and black is not new to Indian players. But prior to the Test, as has been the case throughout the series, there was selective watering. Though it’s a common practice, what made it so hard for Indian batsmen was the fact that the moisture content – black soil tends to absorb more of it, which made it a bit damp. So whenever the ball landed in those parts – which had a bit of grass cover – it kept low. And whenever the ball landed in the dry area – mostly red soil – it found a sharp turn and bounce. Selective watering is a regular feature in Indian pitches but works better if the pitch isn’t a mixed-soil in nature. Black and red soils are contrasting as it is, offering different bounce but the selective watering meant it was even more of a contrast...