Not long ago, when the Indian team was on a high, supporters took pride in the fact that even the Australians were not sure what conditions would suit them against the aggressive side from the sub-continent. The Indian batting was solid as ever, the class of the spinners could not be doubted, while the pace attack had developed a threatening hue with the new-ball combination of Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma.
The perpetrators of that kind of argument would now be on the Sri Lankan side. The second Tests commences here on Tuesday with the home team’s batting line-up not looking as formidable, the spin attack facing the pinch of Anil Kumble’s retirement only now, and the pace bowlers trying to limber back to rhythm with Zaheer’s return after a long lay-off from international cricket due to injury.
The quandary is whether India can beat the visiting side with pace or spin. Though it would be still not fair to judge the team by the performance in Ahmedabad, where a shirt-front pitch could not have inspired bowlers to give their best, it is just as well that the home side goes into the match not knowing what to expect from the pitch.
It is akin to the proverbial ‘good toss to lose’, in which you are unsure of what call to take and would rather like the opposition to decide. Here, the organisers have resorted to a pristine turf rather than take the risk of playing on a track that had to be re-laid after a horrid turner got India a Test victory in three days over South Africa last year, but also rebuke from the International Cricket Council (ICC). In the event, one is likely to see a pitch on which the bounce will decrease as the game progresses, but not one that will break easily seeing the grass on it.
Both MS Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara are unsure of what to expect from the pitch though they both see it as “dry but with grass and thus difficult to predict.” But Dhoni is sure the venue will be much different to Motera.
“It is a lot cooler here. There is bound to be more help here for the fast bowlers, especially during the mornings. The outfield is not lush green, so reverse-swing will also be a factor at some point in time,” said Dhoni, who has fond memories of the last Test here, even though it was a shortened one against South Africa.
“There will be something in it for the fast bowlers, but we are also expecting the wicket to help spinners later in the match. But what pace and bounce they will get, we will have to wait and see,” said the Indian skipper, who did not want to discuss the combination.
His counterpart Sangakkara seemed to have more options going into the second Test, especially because of the presence of all-rounder Angelo Mathews. “We have the option of bringing in Dilhara Fernando (who has replaced an injured Thilan Thushara) for Dammika Prasad and also the possibility of playing three spinners,” said Sangakkara.
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