India should play SA on turning tracks: Kapil

[The Outsider]

Thanks for the suggestion, Kapil. Now can you also tell me when was the last time anyone was able to produce a proper, classic turning pitch in India? I don't think any of our curators know how to produce a particular kind of pitch anymore since the BCCI started relaying them 7-8 years back by bringing in foreign curators. A pitch with life means grass to them which dries out in a session and a turner means a minefield like Bombay '04.

[patriot]

Thanks for the suggestion' date=' Kapil. Now can you also tell me when was the last time anyone was able to produce a proper, classic turning pitch in India? I don't think any of our curators know how to produce a particular kind of pitch anymore since the BCCI started relaying them 7-8 years back by bringing in foreign curators. A pitch with life means grass to them which dries out in a session and a turner means a minefield like Bombay '04.[/quote'] KOTLA apart from the last ODI fiasco has consistently produced classic test match turners that our spinners relish and our record there proves it. But yeah in general..all the traditional turning pitches have become pattas. Chennai is the saddest example. We need to get Sri Lankan curators.

[The Outsider]

KOTLA apart from the last ODI fiasco has consistently produced classic test match turners that our spinners relish and our record there proves it. But yeah in general..all the traditional turning pitches have become pattas. Chennai is the saddest example. We need to get Sri Lankan curators.

Because Kotla was amongst the last ones to be relaid. Look at what it has become after being relaid. :winky:

[thevortex]

Thanks for the suggestion' date=' Kapil. Now can you also tell me when was the last time anyone was able to produce a proper, classic turning pitch in India? I don't think any of our curators know how to produce a particular kind of pitch anymore since the BCCI started relaying them 7-8 years back by bringing in foreign curators. A pitch with life means grass to them which dries out in a session and a turner means a minefield like Bombay '04.[/quote'] Very very good point. Precisely why people like Daljit Singh but not limited to just him need to be castigated for trying to import soil from New Zealand or Australia or God knows where to try and change the nature of Indian wickets. What were they thinking? Cricket's life breath is its heterogeneity. Take that away and it is one step closer to so many other games which do not have variety in playing surfaces. That magic to a large extent belongs only to Cricket and Tennis. No small reason why these two are among my most favourite sports. To watch and to play.

[Ram]

To those bravehearts who suggested we should prepare fast and bouncy pitches for the coming series against the Saffies, I hope you read the day 1 bulletin of the BP XI match. If you hadnt, here's the part you shouldnt miss;

The South African bowlers started their first day of cricket on t..... There was lovely bounce and carry in the morning, seam movement on occasion, an edge that fell short in the first over - as if to remind them of where they were. And then there was some reverse-swing, and a lot of punishment for their spinners, from Abhishek Nayar, Manish Pandey and Shikhar Dhawan. If there was confidence to be drawn from the efforts of Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Wayne Parnell, who took seven wickets in 29.4 overs between them, there would be fair amount of concern over the ease with which Paul Harris and Johan Botha were taken for 115 in 24 overs between them for just one wicket. ............... Morkel's third wicket in 7.4 overs rounded up what was a pretty satisfactory day for the South Africans, the spinners aside. It was agreed upon that while only 11 players would bat, the whole squad could be used in the field. That way, one got a look at all their bowlers, with the three pace bowlers choosing themselves, and the batsmen could take breaks from the field and go and have hits in the adjoining indoor nets at the VCA Academy. Not a catch was dropped, not a run-out missed, and the message was sent that the hosts better not give them bouncy tracks in the Tests.

http://www.cricinfo.com/indvrsa2010/content/current/story/446636.html So yes, lets do what we did Ahemedabad in 2008 and dish out a fast bouncy pitch to the visiting South African team. If that happens, dont be surprised if you see a repeat of this - http://www.cricinfo.com/indvrsa/engine/match/332912.html Pace is their strength, spin the obvious weakness. The more life we leave in the track, the higher the chances of South African seamers coming into their own and the better the chances of 'em winning. If we prepare a pseudo-batting friendly wicket that aids reverse swing/conventional swing the morning and has a bit turn for the spinners, then that gives us the best chance nail them because a) our bowling attack is as adapt at exploiting reverse/conventional swing and b) their spin attack, as demonstrated again today, is frankly pathetic.

[sm332]

I hope we prepare home pitches .... I dont want to see a repeat of the track from last time. Which was a green mamba the first session and then became a patta for 4 days.

[Feed]

Indian tours, Indian tracks and a shadow of doubt Teams travelling to India often come pre-loaded with demons in their minds. They think wickets in India will be rank turners and it will take spin from day one. And more often they lose the battle even before the series begins. More... Pitch guard Nagpur curator says he’ll not prepare a rank turner to suit hosts By Prasanth Menon Posted On Thursday, February 04, 2010 at 03:54:46 AM Teams travelling to India often come pre-loaded with demons in their minds. They think wickets in India will be rank turners and it will take spin from day one. And more often they lose the battle even before the series begins. In their last Test series in 2008, the South Africans were on their way to winning the series after drawing the first Test at Chennai and winning the second Test in Ahmedabad. But they encountered a dust bowl in the final Test at Kanpur and came out second best. This time around, the stakes are much higher as the battle is for the No 1 spot in Test cricket. And naturally, the spotlight will be on the 22-yard strips dished out in Nagpur and Kolkata. Though there has been a lot of criticism about the Indian spinners in recent times, former cricketers believe the best way to put South Africa on the backfoot is to have spin friendly tracks. “South Africans are not great players of spin. It would help India if we have spin friendly tracks for the Test series. So irrespective of what the pitch has to offer, the Indians should go into the first Test with two spinners in their playing XI. That will send a strong message to the opposition,” said former India spinner Erapalli Prasanna. But curator of the Jamatha wicket, Praveen Hingnekar was not ready to reveal too much of the pitch for the first Test starting on Saturday. “It’s too early to predict on the pitch right now. But it will be a sporting wicket. It will be similar to the one we used against Australia,” said Hignekar. Hignekar also said he won’t bow down to the demands to prepare a spinner friendly track. “I want to produce a good wicket for the Test match. There is no way it is going to crumble. I wouldn’t tinker much with the pitch,” said the former Vidarbha cricketer. No wonder why, the Indian skipper MS Dhoni was seen having a long chat with curator Hingnekar after inspecting the wicket on Wednesday afternoon. So far, only one Test match has been played on this ground. Hence, there is not much to read into the history of wicket. India won that match against Australia by 172 runs. But spinners did play a crucial role in that match. Aussie spinner Jason Krezja took an eight-wicket haul, while Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra shared seven wickets between themselves. • It’s too early to predict on the pitch right now. But it will be a sporting wicket. It will be similar to the one we used against Australia — Pitch Curator Praveen Hingnekar More... Shadow of doubt Harbhajan remains the top spinner statistically for India but does that also make him the best? By Ashish Magotra Posted On Thursday, February 04, 2010 at 02:45:05 AM With 345 Test wickets against his name, Harbhajan Singh is India’s most senior spinner. But the question we need to be asking ourselves is whether that statistic also makes him the best. If it’s just numbers, then no one in the current Indian firmament is a match simply because no spinner has played as much cricket as the veteran of 81 Tests. But the selectors need to start looking beyond the numbers because they simply don’t make up for the lack of success that the off-spinner has courted in the last two years. In fact, among all the bowlers who have taken 345 wickets or more, his average of 31.00 is the worst of the lot. This despite playing 45 of his 81 Tests in India, which is renowned for wickets that help spinners. In 2008, he got only two five-wicket hauls in 13 matches and in six Tests in 2009, he managed just one five-wicket haul. Despite that for the near future though, it does look like Harbhajan will continue to remain the ‘unquestionable leader’ of the spin attack because the selectors don’t look too keen to kick him on his backside and he enjoys the confidence of India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. It is an approach that does not please the purists. One of India’s greatest spinners, Bishan Singh Bedi, has earned a reputation as an outspoken critic of the system. Still there are time when his cries of wolf are justified. “There is no doubt that the selectors sit and see only the numbers when they pick the side,” said Bedi. “Because clearly Harbhajan isn’t bowling as well as he can. “I have always said that Harbhajan was very happy playing in Anil Kumble’s shadow. “But now he’s struggling to play in his own shadow.” ‘What pressure?’ So is it the pressure of leading the spin attack that is causing him to stutter? “What pressure?,” asks Bedi. “He is a spinner, he is doing something that he loves and as a bowler, he is expected to take wickets. The requirements haven’t changed over the years.” That is the unflinching truth for you and it will stand in the face of all arguments. Of course, the advent of T20 has added another dimension to the game. Ask Bedi to rate Harbhajan’s bowling and he shakes his head in disgust. “When the bowler flights the ball and varies his length, there is scope to analyse the bowling but right now, he is just firing the ball into the batsman. “Maybe it’s because of T20 cricket but then he needs to get it right for the Tests too. Pragyan Ojha and Amit Mishra are still beginners but Harbahajan isn’t setting the right kind of example.” Former selector Venkatpathy Raju isn’t as harsh but he too berates the fall in standard. I have always said that Harbhajan was very happy playing in Anil Kumble’s shadow. But now he’s struggling to play in his own shadow. - Bishan Singh Bedi “Just give him some time,” said Raju. “We know he’s good and maybe he’ll be pumped up for the South Africa series. When is charged up, we all know he is a different bowler. That’s all we can hope for.” In Raju’s eyes, Harbhajan is still the leader but only just. “I sometimes feel sad for Ojha and Mishra. They are playing one Test and then they are out for the next, without ever getting a chance of finding any rhythm,” said Raju. “They have to make do with whatever they get. It’s tough but it’s the only way to grow. “Harbhajan has the skill to be a world beater but if the selectors put some pressure on him then he just might show off the skills more regularly,” added Raju. The 29-year-old off-spinner’s deterioration is so evident that chairman of the national selection committee Krishnamachari Srikkanth feels that India doesn’t rely on spin anymore. And the way he said it was as if relying on something is not good. Over-reliance is what’s bad but having a reliable spinner or two in the attack can never be bad. “It seems right now they (the current selectors) are torn between pace and spin. But against South Africa, we should stick to our strength,” said Raju. But when reminded of Srikkanth’s comments, he was surprised. “It just seems as if they are confused. “Let’s hope against the South Africans, we play two spinners because they play pace very well. “Getting too confident about the abilities of our pacemen will lead to trouble.” .

[achilles]

We are simply not capable to bowl at their pace and they have 2 out-and-out pacers to bounce us. We should prepare pitches we actually stand a chance to win on - Dustbowls.