The Chepauk pitch at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai produced a rank turner for the first Test between India and England. With the second Test starting in two day’s time, the pitch curators are busy preparing a different kind of track for even contest between bat and ball. In all likeliness, the pitch will have a fair amount of pace bounce and carry in the second Test as compared to the first Test.
A Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) functionary informed that pitch No. 5 is likely to be used for the second Test starting on Saturday. Pitch No. 2 had red soil topping. The top layer of pitch No. 5 is made of clay soil or black soil.
A veteran Indian pitch curator explained the difference between the use of red soil and black soil in the preparation of a pitch.
“Bonding strength of red soil particles is more high-strung than its black or clay counterpart, the reason why red soil disintegrates faster. Pitches with red soil toppings deteriorate quicker,” he said to Indian Express.
Also Read: Virat Kohli Reacts After England Humble India In The 1st Test At Chennai
Chepauk Pitch To Have More Bounce: Pitch Curator
According to a member of the ground staff, the surface is expected to have more bounce and carry. So initially at least, pacers might get more purchase from the deck, while spinners could enjoy the bounce. But in all likelihood, it’s not going to be a rank turner.
Taking together, the Indian and the English spinners picked up more wickets than the pacers together from both sides. The spinners picked up 24 wickets in the first Test as compared to 16 by the pacers.
Pitches have been a point of debate in India whenever the team loses in recent times. Similarly, now that the Indian team has lost the first Test of a crucial series at home, the pitch has again become the talking point.
Meanwhile, former BCCI chief curator Daljit Singh described the pitch for the first Test as “an excellent Test match wicket that would have been even better (from the bowlers’ perspective) with a bit more grass on it”.
Also Read: 3 Changes Team India Should Make In The 2nd Test
