AFTER TWO GRIPPING Test matches between India and England at Chepauk in Chennai, the series – which is tied at 1-1 – moves to Ahmedabad for the final two Tests. The venue will be the new-look, majestic Motera Stadium, which can now hold a capacity of 132000 & is the world’s largest stadium.
It last hosted a Test match back in 2012, when India beat England by nine wickets on the back of a double century by Cheteshwar Pujara.
While fortunes have fluctuated in the series so far with England enjoying supremacy in the opening Test and India bouncing back strongly in the second, the third Test will be a different ball-game. The pink ball, after all, is set to once again make an appearance on Indian soil. India has hosted only one pink-ball Test so far, against Bangladesh in 2019 when it took less than three days for the hosts to notch up a thumping victory.
But with due respect to Bangladesh, England will be no pushovers. They have shown that they can compete with India in these conditions and will be eager to find a way back in the series. They should certainly be enthused by the prospect of playing with the pink ball under lights at Motera.
While the Indian team will be buoyant after the series-levelling victory in the second Test, there will also be a tinge of apprehension about playing with the pink ball. They won’t have fond memories of the last time that they turned up for a pink-ball Test, considering they were shot out for an all-time low of 36 against Australia in Adelaide.
Much of how the pink-ball spectacle in Motera pans out will depend on the nature of the pitch that will be on offer. Previous pink-ball Tests, even though there is only a small sample size, have generally demanded an even sprinkling of grass on the surface in order to ensure that the lacquer on the pink ball doesn’t wear off and the ball continues to remain visible after the twilight period. But given that a spot in the final of the World Test Championship is at stake, India will certainly want to exploit home conditions rather than playing on a green-top where the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad can make merry.
Rohit Sharma’s view that there is nothing wrong in utilizing home advantage suggests that a turning pitch is on the cards. If it is indeed the case, it will be a departure from what has been the convention with regard to pink-ball Tests. At the same time, the suggestion from Sanspareils Greenlands (SG) – the ball manufacturer – has been that some grass needs to be left on the Motera pitch for the pink ball to last the necessary duration.
It all makes for an intriguing build-up to the pink-ball Test, which should be quite a spectacle with more than 50,000 fans expected to throng the stadium for the venue’s first Test since its grand renovation.
(The writer is CEO, TCM Sports & former CEO, CNBCTV 18 & CNN NEWS 18. Launched domestic leagues, PKL, ISL during his earlier stint as SVP & head Emerging Sports, Star Sports)
(The views expressed here are those of the Author and SportzPower need not necessarily subscribe to them)
