In a big statement ahead of the final Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith described the pitch in Ahmedabad as perhaps the flattest of all the four surfaces played on in this series.
Notably, each of the three Tests so far has ended inside three days, with the hosts coming out on top in the first two Tests, but Smith leading the Kangaroos to victory in the third Test at Indore.
With Pat Cummins being in Australia to be with his ill mother, Smith was initially made captain for the Indore Test only, but with Cummins still there, Smith would continue to lead the team. He attended the press conference on the eve of the final Test match.
“It looks like probably the flattest of the four wickets we’ve seen so far on day one,” Smith was quoted as saying at the presser by a PTI report.
However, the 33-year-old also hinted that Ahmedabad would see a lot of heat during this time of the year, which could mean pitches could crack as the match progresses, providing more assistance to the spinners. Maybe because more overs are bowled. ,
“Having said that, I think it is 38 degrees outside at the moment, it is very hot. It looks like it will dry up as the day progresses. One of the groundsmen said they might water again today are,” he said.
The wicket has been the subject of some debate in this series with the pitch assisting the spinners from day one. The wicket used for the third Test match at the Holkar Stadium in Indore was also rated “poor” by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Match referee Chris Broad said that the distance of 22 yards “does not provide a balance between bat and ball”.
In the Indore Test, 26 out of 31 wickets fell to the spinners, with four pacers going and one run out.
India need a win in the Ahmedabad Test to reach the final of the World Test Championship against the same team in London in June. However, if they fail to win it, they can still qualify but will have to depend on the result of the Sri Lanka-New Zealand series, which starts on March 9.
