The MCA Stadium in Pune is expected to roll out a low and slow pitch for the upcoming second Test between India and New Zealand. Spinners will play a significant role as the track is likely to be a slow turner.
According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, the pitch in Pune is a black soil one which will have less bounce when compared to the Bangalore Test. This is on the back of India’s defeat to New Zealand in the first Test where they were bowled out for 46 in the first innings.
Rohit Sharma and co expected the 22-yard surface at the Chinnaswamy Stadium to be much flatter and assist the spinners as well. It was quite evident from the combination as they picked three spinners. However, heavy rain in the lead-up to (and during) the first Test meant that there was quite a bit of moisture in the pitch and the New Zealand pacers wreaked havoc in the first innings.
Hence, the Pune pitch is expected to be devoid of any grass and is likely to aid the spinners. It is just not Pune that is likely to roll out a turning track. The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai is also going to dish out a similar pitch. The only difference would be in the bounce, given that the Wankhede uses red-soil pitches.
India are under pressure having lost the first Test of the three-match series. They have not lost a Test series at home since January 2013. Moreover, they need to win at least four out of the remaining seven Test matches to remain in the hunt for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Thus, the Rohit Sharma-led side are aiming to make full use of the home conditions before they fly to Australia to play five Test matches.
Only the 3rd Test in Pune
India last played a Test match in Pune back in 2019 when Virat Kohli smashed a double hundred. They beat South Africa by an innings and 137 runs. There has been only one Test match apart from that. They faced Australia in 2017 and lost by 333 runs. Steve O’Keefe scalped 12 wickets across two innings and Steve Smith struck a fine ton.
The second Test starts on the 24th of October and it’ll be interesting to see India’s combination. They’ve added Washington Sundar to the squad. He is among the five spin options. India played Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav in the first game. Apart from Sundar, there is Axar Patel in the reserves.
