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First Image Of Mumbai Pitch Emerges As India Set To Prepare A Sporting Deck For 3rd Test vs New Zealand

Wankhede Stadium's pitch revealed for 3rd Test vs NZ [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]Wankhede Stadium's pitch revealed for 3rd Test vs NZ [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]

After losing two consecutive Tests on home soil, India will lock horns with New Zealand in the final dead-rubber of the ongoing three-match series at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Led by Rohit Sharma, India conceded New Zealand the series following a disastrous defeat in the penultimate affair in Pune. 

Will India Prepare A Sporting Deck In Mumbai After Their Loss On Pune's Turning Track?

The second Test in Pune was disastrous for India, as the visiting side crushed them by 113 runs at the MCA stadium. The hosts' decision to prepare a spin-friendly pitch backfired on them, with experienced all-rounder Mitchell Santner scripting New Zealand's historic series victory through his phenomenal bowling spells. 

Therefore, after struggling to face the Kiwi spinners in Pune, India are all set to prepare a sporting pitch for the third Test in Mumbai. As per the emerging pictures, the Wankhede Stadium's pitch contains a tinge of grass and won't break down quickly, unlike the Pune deck. 

The Likely Behaviour Of Wankhede Stadium's Pitch For 3rd IND vs NZ Test

The grass covering isn't dense, and it seems that the grass is there to hold the surface. However, as it's a red-soil pitch, expect it to offer more bounce as compared to the black-soil track in Pune. 

The Wankhede Stadium's pitch generally offers a hint of lateral movement to the fast bowlers, particularly in the morning session with the new ball. However, with the sun beating down, the deck will eventually become better for batting. The batters will enjoy its true pace to score runs, while the spinners might get some turn and bounce to make their time tough in the middle. 

Nevertheless, we don't expect uneven bounce to play a key role here unlike Pune. So, if the Indian batters apply themselves well, they can certainly frustrate the Kiwis, something they haven't been able to do in this series.