Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium Nagpur Pitch Report For IND vs ENG 1st ODI

Debashis Sarangi

VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur [Source: @debasissen/X]VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur [Source: @debasissen/X]

On Thursday, India will cross swords against England in the first One-Day International of the upcoming three-match series on home soil. The much-anticipated encounter will be played at Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur. 

Led by Rohit Sharma, India have a robust squad comprising outright match-winners throughout the lineup. Besides skipper Rohit, the legendary Virat Kohli is expected to play a key role for the hosts alongside Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Shami. 

On the other hand, England would be desperate to bounce back in the ODIs after incurring four crushing defeats in the T20I leg. The onus will be on Jos Buttler, Harry Brook and Jofra Archer, while the presence of Joe Root ensures solidity in the English batting unit. 

As both teams are ready to take on each other, let's see how the surface at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur will behave throughout the contest. 

VCA Stadium Nagpur Stats And Records In ODIs

Criterion
Data
Matches played11
Matches won batting 1st3
Matches won bowling 1st8
Average 1st innings score260
Average 2nd innings score236


VCA Stadium Nagpur Pitch Report: Is It Batting Or Bowling Friendly?

The surface at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur generally offers excellent batting conditions. There will be minimal help for the seamers, while the batters will enjoy the track's even pace and bounce to score runs, especially when the ball is new and hard. 

As the ball gets older, the pacers will likely focus on rolling their fingers over the seam and bowling more into the pitch to outfox the batters. Bowlers with deceptive off-cutters and slower bouncers could be effective with the old ball in the middle and death overs. 

The spinners are expected to get some turn in the middle overs. If the track has some cracks and is on the drier side, expect the spinners to play a more significant role in the second innings. So, although the chasing sides have emerged victorious on eight occasions, the toss-winning side might be tempted to bat first if a barren wicket is dished out. 

Players To Watch Out For At VCA Stadium Nagpur

Shubman Gill

  • Shubman Gill has been India's most successful ODI batter since 2020, amassing 2312 runs at an average of 60.84 and a strike rate of 102.48. He has been remarkably consistent in the format and can capitalise on the track's batting-friendly nature, especially if India bat first. 

Joe Root

  • Joe Root is England's most dependable batter in the longer formats. The stylish right-hander is an excellent player of spin and might frustrate the Indian bowlers in the middle overs. 

Kuldeep Yadav

  • Experienced Indian bowler Kuldeep Yadav will lead India's spin-bowling attack in this game. Kuldeep can bamboozle the Englishmen with his guile and could be India's prime wicket-taking weapon in this match. 

P.S: Apart from these players, the eyes will be on Ben Duckett, Adil Rashid, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja and Brydon Carse.