IND vs AUS: Mix of red and black soil could make Indore pitch bouncier than previous two tests

Soon after it was unravelled, coach Rahul Dravid and Rohit inspected the pitch closely, before the groundsmen ambled in and sprinkled several rounds of water in the bald areas of the pitch. A heavy roller strummed in the vicinity, but it did not wander onto the centre square, which was bathing in the mild forenoon sun.

Indore: Indian cricketer Shubman Gill with batting coach Vikram Rathour during a practice session ahead of the 3rd test cricket match between India and Australia, at Holkar Cricket Stadium, in Indore, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. (PTI Photo)

But as noon approached and the sun became harsher, the curator ordered the groundsmen to wrap the green tarpaulin over the surface. For the pitch could turn drier and deteriorate rapidly if it is subjected to too much sunshine, making batting difficult from the start.

The composition of the surface has been subject to much intrigue in the build-up to the Test, especially the mixing of both red and black soil. Usually, pitches in Indore are largely red-soil ones, as the practice wickets on the square would show, but with summer setting in, they have used black soil so that the pitch would hold up for a longer period. Red soil surfaces could explode fast under the scorching sun, unlike the black counterpart, where the turn could be slower.

Whatever the composition of the surface, Australia’s stand-in skipper believes it would be a turner. “It’s pretty similar to the last two. It’s pretty dry at both ends from six metres down. I dare say it will take some reasonable spin as the game wears on. I am not sure how much it will take to begin with. We will wait and see,” Steve Smith said at the pre-match media conference.

But the underlying red soil means that there could be more bounce and carry than in the previous two Tests. In Nagpur, India’s wicket-keeper KS Bharat was picking the ball from his ankles even with the new ball. In Delhi, the bounce was better, but not consistent. Later in the match, the ball started keeping low to make life difficult for the batsmen.

For much of Australia’s practice, from 12.30 to 2.30, the strip was under the wraps, protecting it from the blazing Indore sun. And it was only late in the evening, when the sun lost some of its scathing intensity, that the pitch was uncovered and watered.