Cricket

Pakistan's decision to reuse the same pitch for the second Test against England in Multan has raised eyebrows, but the move is not without precedent. The International Cricket Council (ICC) requires only "the best possible pitch and outfield conditions" for Test matches, with no stipulations that the surface must be fresh or unused.Pakistan's decision may be driven by a desire to level the playing field after their innings defeat in the first Test. The pitch in Multan offered little assistance to bowlers, with 1,599 runs scored for the loss of 26 wickets. England's bowlers were particularly frustrated, with Chris Woakes describing the surface as offering "bugger all."By reusing the same pitch, Pakistan may hope to create conditions that favor their spinners. The bowlers' footmarks from the first Test are dry and cracked, and the fans and harsh sun will further dry them out. This could make it difficult for England's batsmen to play spin, especially if Ben Stokes is selected as a third seamer.Stokes has ramped up his bowling workloads over the past week and bowled at full pace in the nets on Sunday morning. His inclusion would give England a potent bowling attack, but it could also backfire if the pitch does not offer enough assistance to spinners.England, meanwhile, are braced for a lower-scoring match. They will be hoping to take advantage of the dry conditions and exploit any variable bounce that may develop. Kevin Pietersen, the former England captain, described the pitch as a "bowlers' graveyard" on Twitter and suggested that Pakistan should re-use it for the second Test.Pakistan's move is unusual, but it is not without precedent. In 2016, India reused the same pitch for two consecutive Tests against New Zealand in Kanpur. The pitch offered more assistance to spinners in the second Test, and India won by an innings and 115 runs.Whether Pakistan's gamble will pay off remains to be seen. The second Test starts on Tuesday, and the conditions will be closely monitored.

The second Test between India and Bangladesh is shrouded in uncertainty as both teams remain unaware of the pitch conditions. India's batting coach, Abhishek Nayar, expressed his ignorance about the surface, while Bangladesh's head coach, Chandika Hathurusinghe, revealed that two pitches have been prepared, but the final decision will be made on the morning of the match.During India's training session, captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir inspected both pitches. The drier black-soil surface seemed to garner more attention. Initial indications suggest a batting-friendly start, transitioning to slow and low turn from the third day onwards.However, the weather forecast poses a challenge. Overcast conditions and thunderstorms are predicted for the first three days, potentially hindering the natural wear and tear that typically aids spin-friendly pitches. Rain interrupted India's training session, prompting the groundstaff to cover the square.As a result, India will finalize their XI on the morning of the Test, considering the possibility of an extra spinner instead of the extra seamer used in Chennai. Both pitches appear promising, but the conditions will ultimately determine the pitch's behavior.India leads the series 1-0 and may opt for a spinner over a seamer. Kuldeep Yadav, who impressed against England earlier this year, and Axar Patel, known for his relentless stump-to-stump attack, are potential candidates. Axar played alongside R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in India's last Test in Kanpur against New Zealand in 2021, which ended in a draw.

The Indian cricket team is facing a crucial decision as they prepare for the second Test against Bangladesh, scheduled to commence on Friday in Kanpur. The team's playing XI remains uncertain, with the selection of spinners and pacers hinging on the pitch and weather conditions.Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir meticulously inspected two prepared pitches at Green Park Stadium. The team management is contemplating the inclusion of a third spinner, considering the possibility of rain on the first and third days of the match.Assistant coach Abhishek Nayar hinted that the final decision will likely be made just before the toss. "Both pitches look pretty good. Kanpur is often known to have good pitches. I am not sure about the bounce yet," Nayar said during Thursday's pre-match press conference.In the first Test in Chennai, India opted for a combination of two spinners and three pacers. However, Kanpur's conditions may favor spin, prompting the team to consider adding a third spinner. Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav could join Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja if this change is implemented.Nayar remained tight-lipped about Kuldeep's potential inclusion in his home state. "With the conditions and the forecast, it is going to be interesting when we turn up in the morning. A lot will depend on that because, as you know, in Test cricket, conditions can be a huge factor in how the pitch plays," Nayar explained.All players are fit and available for selection, Nayar confirmed. "It is too early for us to judge and decide or have any sort of thought process on the pitch or the conditions. But we are hoping we come in tomorrow to a sunny day and not an overcast Kanpur," he added.The Indian team will need to carefully assess the pitch and weather conditions before finalizing their playing XI. The decision will have a significant impact on their strategy and chances of securing a victory in the second Test.

The upcoming second Test between India and Bangladesh at Green Park in Kanpur is expected to present a contrasting pitch to the one witnessed in the first Test in Chennai. The Kanpur pitch is likely to be flatter, with lower bounce and a slower surface due to its black-soil content.Unlike the true bounce that characterized the Chepauk pitch, the Green Park pitch will offer less bounce and carry. This is because the pitch is made of black soil, which is known to slow down the ball and reduce bounce. The surface is also expected to become increasingly slower as the Test progresses.This change in pitch conditions will likely impact team selection. India may consider replacing one of their three seamers with a third spinner, such as Kuldeep Yadav or Axar Patel. Bangladesh, on the other hand, may bring in left-arm spinner Taijul Islam in place of Nahid Rana if Shakib Al Hasan is ruled out due to injury.The slower nature of the pitch will make it more challenging for bowlers to extract wickets. However, batters could benefit from the lack of bounce and spin, potentially leading to higher scores. In the 2021 Test at Green Park, Shreyas Iyer scored a century and a fifty on debut, while Tom Latham showcased his defensive skills against Indian spinners.The last Test played at Green Park, against New Zealand in 2021, lasted five days. India played three spinners in that match, and New Zealand batters showed resilience to draw the game. The upcoming Test is also likely to be a battle of attrition, with both teams looking to capitalize on the conditions.

India Skipper Rohit Sharma Praises Kensington Oval Pitch After Tough Group StageIndian skipper Rohit Sharma expressed satisfaction with the pitch at Kensington Oval in Barbados, a stark contrast to the challenging conditions faced by the team at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York during the Group stage of the T20 World Cup.In their opening Super 8 stage game against Afghanistan, Rohit opted to bat first after winning the toss, marking the first time India chose to bat first in the tournament. Assessing the pitch, Rohit anticipated that it might slow down as the match progressed."We are going to bat first. Looks alright at this moment, looks a good track. No grass on the pitch, I guess it will get slower. It's better than New York. We have to adapt to the conditions quickly," Rohit said after the toss.India made a strategic change to their Playing XI, bringing in left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav in place of pacer Mohammed Siraj. Rohit emphasized the importance of adapting to the conditions and expressed confidence in the team's ability to perform well at Kensington Oval."We have been here for a couple of days, we have played a lot of cricket. It's about understanding what we need to do in conditions like these. It's an early start. Usually start in the evening elsewhere. We enjoy playing here. We have made one change, Kuldeep comes in for Siraj," Rohit added.The Kensington Oval pitch offers a more favorable surface for batting compared to the challenging conditions in New York, providing India with a better opportunity to showcase their batting prowess. Rohit's positive assessment of the pitch bodes well for the team as they aim to secure a victory in their opening Super 8 stage match.

Sri Lanka's disappointing performance at the T20 World Cup 2024 has been attributed to their inability to adapt to the diverse playing surfaces in the United States, according to captain Wanindu Hasaranga.Despite arriving in the US 10 days prior to their opening match and participating in two warm-up games, Sri Lanka struggled to adjust to the conditions, particularly in their two crucial defeats against South Africa and Bangladesh.In their match against South Africa in New York, Sri Lanka was bowled out for a mere 77 runs, while in Dallas against Bangladesh, they were restricted to 124 for 9. These batting collapses effectively ended their hopes of reaching the Super Eight stage.Hasaranga acknowledged that the team's early exit was primarily due to their own shortcomings rather than external factors. "When you lose a match, you can blame pitches and other things, but as professional cricketers, that's not a good thing," he said. "Even the other team has to play on the same pitch, and it's our job to change the way we play."While Sri Lanka had a brief training camp in North Carolina before their warm-up matches, Hasaranga admitted that it was insufficient preparation for the varied conditions they encountered. "We have to thank the cricket board for bringing us here 10 days early and organizing a training camp for us," he said. "That was a big thing. It was important to get used to conditions, weather, and the time zone here."However, the pitches in different regions of the US proved to be vastly different, making it difficult for Sri Lanka to adapt. "Even though in some countries pitches are more similar from place to place, that's not the case in the USA," Hasaranga explained. "We adjusted as well as we could, but we unfortunately got New York for the first match, and it didn't go well for us. In the second match, we went to Dallas and didn't adjust well to that pitch."Hasaranga emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for their performance. "As a team and as a captain, we have to take the responsibility for that," he said. "We didn't make those changes and adapt, and that was our main flaw."

India vs Canada: Kohli's Form and Pitch Conditions in FocusIndia will face Canada in their final group match of the T20 World Cup on Saturday, with all eyes on Virat Kohli's form and the pitch conditions at the Broward County stadium.Kohli, who has struggled in the tournament so far with just five runs in three matches, will be hoping for a turnaround in fortunes against Canada. The Indian star came into the World Cup after a stellar IPL season, but has failed to replicate his form on the international stage.The pitch at the Broward County stadium is expected to be less challenging than the one in New York, where the uneven bounce and slow outfield drew criticism. This could provide some relief for Kohli and the Indian batters.Despite Kohli's struggles, India have won their first three matches and have already qualified for the Super Eight stage. However, they will be keen to maintain their momentum and secure a top spot in the group.Canada, on the other hand, are making their debut in the T20 World Cup and will be looking to make a statement. They have lost their first two matches but will be hoping to upset India and end their tournament on a high note.The weather in Florida has been a concern, with torrential rain affecting several parts of the state. However, the forecast for Saturday's match is clear, which will be a relief for both teams.

Pakistan coach Gary Kirsten has defended the playing surface at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium following his team's narrow six-run defeat to India in a low-scoring T20 World Cup match.Despite India's modest total of 119, their lowest ever against Pakistan in a T20 game, Pakistan fell short in their chase, sparking discussions about the pitch conditions. The venue, featuring a 'drop in' square laid a month before the tournament, has seen all five games produce low scores, raising concerns about the pitch's quality.After India's previous win over Ireland, former Zimbabwe international and ex-England team director Andy Flower labeled the pitch "dangerous" due to its uneven bounce. However, Kirsten downplayed these criticisms, suggesting that the pitch, while challenging, was not hazardous."I think it wasn't dangerous, I mean the odd one rose up, but not many. Generally, it kept a little bit lower, it was difficult to score from both batting sides and also a fairly slow outfield so it was never going to be a big total," he stated.Kirsten acknowledged that a score of 140 would have been competitive, indicating that Pakistan had a strong chance to win after restricting India to 119. "I would have said 140 would have been a really good score on that pitch, so India didn't get that and so I thought we had the game," added the South African.He also emphasized that low-scoring games could be equally entertaining and offered a different kind of contest compared to the high-scoring encounters typical of T20 cricket. "We knew it was going to be tight, but you know sometimes it's fun seeing games like that as well, it's not always about sixes and hitting, getting 260 and 240's, you can actually have a really entertaining game on a 120 chase, so I don't think it's bad for the game," Kirsten explained.In response to the criticism, the International Cricket Council (ICC) admitted that the pitches at the venue had not met the expected standards and committed to improving them for the remaining matches. Three games remain at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, with the final match scheduled for Wednesday, when India will face co-hosts USA.

India vs Pakistan: A Clash of Titans with High StakesThe highly anticipated clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in the T20 World Cup is set to take place on Sunday, promising an electrifying encounter that will captivate cricket enthusiasts worldwide.Pakistan's recent upset defeat against the United States has heightened the stakes for this match, as they now face a must-win situation to maintain their hopes of advancing to the Super 8s stage. India, on the other hand, secured a comfortable victory against Ireland, but concerns linger over the challenging batting conditions at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.Former India opener Wasim Jaffer emphasizes the importance of selecting the right combination for both teams. India's decision to open with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma against Ireland left Yashasvi Jaiswal on the sidelines, while Axar Patel was preferred over Kuldeep Yadav for his lower-order batting abilities.Jaffer believes India may stick with the same playing eleven against Pakistan, despite the possibility of Jaiswal opening. He highlights the need for Axar's batting skills, given the unpredictable nature of the pitch and the likelihood of increased fast bowling usage."You also want Kuldeep to play, but the kind of pitch it is, according to me, you will need Axar's batting because here you will see fast bowlers being used more," Jaffer said. "So Kuldeep won't have much effect. It will be the fast bowlers doing the damage."Jaffer anticipates that the pitch may improve slightly for the India-Pakistan encounter, but he predicts that fast bowlers will continue to dominate.