Will Vizag Pitch For 2nd Test Between IND & ENG Turn From Day 1? Check Pics
Indian Cricket team (X.com)
India and England are scheduled to lock horns at Dr. Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy ACA-VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam starting Friday. However, the initial look of the pitch conditions has left the fans confused.
Visakhapatnam, known for its spin-friendly pitches, has traditionally offered assistance to the spinners as the match progresses. However, the initial assessment of the pitch for the second Test presents a mixed forecast, hinting at a surface that could provide a more balanced contest between bat and ball.
The pictures of the wicket doing rounds on social media suggest the surface has no traces of grass whatsoever. It more or less looks like a flat pitch, a paradise for batters.
However, on the flip side, if the wicket has cracks, the spinners could dominate heavily, just like the scenes unfolded in Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, England will continue to back its four spinners game plan. The visitors announced it's playing XI for the Vizag Test earlier today and named Shoaib Bashir as injured Jack Leach's replacement.
Besides the debutant, James Anderson will replace Mark Wood as the team's only specialist fast bowler.
On the flip side, the Indian side is still contemplating its ideal playing XI. Forced changes are inevitable as KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja landed in NCA with different injury concerns.
Either Kuldeep or Washington Sundar could be included if Rohit Sharma decided to go with two pacers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
That being said, the contrasting forecast of the Vizag pitch sets the stage for an intriguing battle between the Indian and English batters and bowlers. Both teams must adapt quickly to the conditions on offer and formulate their strategies accordingly to gain the upper hand in what promises to be a closely contested Test match.
The second Test will go on floors starting Friday, 09.30 PM IST.
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.jpg "IND vs ENG, 2nd Test: Player battles")
 "Akshita Patel")
