The Indian cricket team will tee off their Asia Cup 2023 campaign against Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. They will take on Nepal two days later at the same stadium.
Should India qualify for the knockout stage, they would have to face their opponents in the R Premadasa Stadium.
The pitches of the above-mentioned grounds will influence the balance of India’s team to a great extent. Who will play as the third seamer? Will both Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja feature together? Everything will depend on the pitch. Let’s take a look at how the pitches of these two stadiums have behaved in the past and might play out in the upcoming tournament.
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy
Pallekele International Cricket Stadium’s pitch has historically favoured sides that have bowled first more often than not. The chasing teams have had a slight upper-hand over the ones batting first. Out of 33 ODIs played in the ground, the teams batting first have won 14 matches compared to 19 matches won by the chasing side.
The pitch of the Pallekele Stadium generally favours the batters. The bowlers are unlikely to get much help out of the surface. It won’t be difficult for batters to get comfortable here, and once they do, they might score significant runs. The pitch tends to get dryer as the game progresses, making it an ideal scenario for spinners. It wouldn’t be surprising if the spin department of the teams playing on this ground in the Asia Cup produce match-altering performances.
The average score on this ground for teams batting first has been 248 runs while teams batting second have scored 204 runs on an average.
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
With a rich history dating back to June 1994, the R Premadasa Stadium, formerly known as the Khettarama Cricket Stadium, now stands as one of the premier venues for the Sri Lankan cricket team.
Having witnessed 128 thrilling one day international matches, it has solidified its reputation as a haven for cricket enthusiasts. Boasting an impressive capacity of 35,000 spectators, it proudly holds the title of being the largest stadium in Sri Lanka.
The teams that have batted first in this ground have dominated till now. Out of 128 matches played here, the chasing team have only won 54 matches, 20 less than teams batting first.
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The pitch at the R Premadasa Stadium is truly a haven for batsmen. It provides them with the perfect conditions to showcase their skills and play their shots effortlessly. While the fast bowlers might get some advantage in the beginning, as the game progresses, it will be the spinners who will take center stage and make a significant impact on the match outcome.
The R Premadasa Stadium pitch in Sri Lanka offers great support for spinners, just like any other pitch in the country. As the match progresses to the latter stages, it tends to slow down even more, giving an advantage to the slow bowlers. Additionally, the low bounce can pose challenges for batters. It’s important for teams to carefully strategize and adapt their game plans accordingly on this unique pitch.
With both pitches favouring spinners after the initial overs, it would be interesting to see the playing XI India picks in the tournament. The absence of Yuzvendra Chahal means Ravindra Jadeja and/or Axar Patel would have to take added responsibility in the spin department along with Kuldeep Yadav.
