Manchester Test Pitch - (Source : @Sahil Malhotra/X.Com)
Two days ahead of the start of the all-important Manchester Test between India and England, the visuals of the pitch at Old Trafford are out and spreading like fire on the internet.
Sahil Malhotra of the Times of India took to Twitter to share the first look of the Old Trafford Pitch, and the surface is covered with a layer of green grass, quite similar to how it has been for the first three Tests.
Green-Top Pitch Guaranteed For Manchester Test
A green top covers the surface, but the groundskeepers are expected to trim down the grass in the coming days. The green layer is kept so that the surface retains the moisture, which allows the pitch to bind together for all five days.
However, the visuals also shed light on the outfield, which appeared to be damp because of persistent rain in the last few days. Thus, a slow outfield is expected in the upcoming fourth Test. Now with rain around Manchester, it will also play a major role in the pitch as there will be moisture despite the grass trimmed down, and the surface will be a bowler's paradise, while the Shubman Gill-led side eyes their first win at this venue.
Gautam Gambhir And Co Inspect The Pitch
Right after the covers were removed from the pitch, Gautam Gambhir quickly inspected the pitch and had a chat with Shubman Gill, while the India team prepared for the Manchester Test.
Notably, the training session also hinted at possible changes for the fourth Test as India are sweating hard over players' fitness. The most important update was that Rishabh Pant kept the gloves and practised keeping after skipping it in the 3rd Test following a finger injury.
Further, Yashasvi Jaiswal too was seen in the slip cordon, hinting at a possible return to his original fielding position after being axed from that following dropped catches in the 1st Test.
