Having received no instructions yet from the Indian team management, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) will proceed with its plans of preparing a sporting pitch for the second Test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, according to secretary R. Sudhakar Rao.
“So far, we have not been told anything [about pitch preparation], but the Indian team is yet to arrive. Once they arrive, we have to see if they make any suggestions,” said Rao.
Uber-dry pitch
India and Australia are due to arrive in Bengaluru on Tuesday, with the match beginning on March 4. The visitor holds a 1-0 lead in the series after triumphing on an uber-dry pitch in Pune inside three days.
“Our intention is to prepare a sporting, Test-match pitch. We want a five-day match. We definitely don’t want to see the match end in two and a half days,” he added.
For now, the KSCA’s ground staff, led by curator K. Sriram, would continue to water the playing surface, Rao stated.
“We like to keep some moisture underneath. So we haven’t stopped watering it. We’ll water it until two or three days before the match. Then we will see what the pitch looks like, two days out, and take a call,” he said.
P.R. Vishwanathan, the South Zone head of the BCCI’s Ground and Pitches Committee, is expected in town soon, to oversee preparations.
“On the first two days, the pitch should be good for batting and help medium-pacers. On days two and three there should be slow turn.
“Then on the last two days there should be more turn. I have told Sriram to prepare that kind of wicket,” said Rao. “At least, that is our intention.”
