Cheteshwar Pujara (L) and Virat Kohli will resume Day 3 and look to extend India’s lead against South Africa. (Source: PTI)
Sourav Ganguly hit the Bengal nets early. In a country where sports administration revels in being old and archaic, it was refreshing to see the Cricket Association of Bengal president training alongside his Ranji team players. On Friday at Jadavpur University’s Salt Lake Campus Ground, the former India captain was preparing for the Cricket All Stars series where he would be playing for Sachin’s Blasters against Warne’s Warriors.
After an exhaustive session, reporters asked him about the Mohali Test. Questions on pitch issues came along the expected lines. “It’s behaving like a fourth day pitch,” he said, adding that he didn’t feel it was a “proper” Test wicket. There was contempt in his assessment of Dean Elgar, the part-time left-arm spinner who took four wickets for South Africa in the first innings. Ganguly is entitled to his opinion, but the Indian team management, too, is well within its rights to optimise the home advantage.
Yes, this is not an ideal pitch for five-day cricket but it’s offering excitement. After two days of play, via (spin) punches and counter-punches, the hosts are in the ascendancy having a lead of 142 with eight wickets remaining in their second innings. India have earned it through the grit of Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara, and the sheer brilliance of Ravi Ashwin. The offie has now become one of the fastest to reach 150 Test wickets after bagging 5/51 today. It is only his 29th Test.
Here in India, we have had a tendency to exaggerate the pitch factor. Far too often the home team faces criticism for preparing pitches to its advantage. Harsh. When India go overseas and are presented with green-tops, people barely raise a voice. A lush green pitch was prepared for the Boxing Day Test in Durban in 2013 after India had put the hosts under serious pressure in the first match in Johannesburg. South Africa responded by unleashing their four fast bowlers in extremely seamer-friendly conditions and won by 10 wickets.
Last year, after India took a 1-0 lead by bouncing out England at Lord’s, the hosts decided to dump the lawn mowers. Pitches at Rose Bowl, Old Trafford and The Oval had dark shades of green. England eventually took the series 3-1.
So what’s wrong if India prepare pitches according to their strengths? A trial by spin adds to the romance and intrigue of the game. Mohali curator Daljit Singh, who doubles up as the BCCI pitches and grounds committee head, might have overdone it a little (following the pitch controversy at Wankhede), but it ought to be said the stern test is separating the men from the boys.
Vijay scored 75 and 47 respectively in the two innings he played. Pujara is batting untroubled on 63 in the second innings and Virat Kohli, too, looked pretty assured during his 11 not out as he came after Vijay’s dismissal.
For South Africa, captain Hashim Amla was composure personified until he was deceived by a beauty from Ashwin that sneaked through the gap between bat and pad. AB de Villiers made the most of a second opportunity, scoring 63 off 83 balls. He was out off a no-ball on seven and like every good player made his good fortune count, breaking the shackles and playing freely. Even Elgar, who had criticised the pitch on Thursday, calling it “not a very good cricket wicket”, spent 151 minutes and faced 123 balls for his 37. His comment was defeatist but his batting was courageous. This Mohali pitch demands courage and character.
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