India Cricket Team, beware! That’s the message from Centurion by Ravi Shastri and Shaun Pollock. The former India coach and South African fast bowler sent a warning to Rohit Sharma & Co that the Centurion pitch for IND vs SA 1st Test will get difficult to bat on as the match progresses.
There is a good covering of grass on the Centurion pitch but as the match progresses, the pitch will only get slower and it will be tricky for batters to handle. And with the moisture in the air due to cloudy and rainy conditions, seamers will likely to dominate even on such a slower pitch for IND vs SA 1st Test.
“There is good covering of grass. Teams tend to bat first because it tends to start a bit slow. As the Test progresses, there might be a bit of up and down movement which could be tricky to handle. Batting will get difficult as the Test progresses. With the weather conditions, South Africa would be tempted to go without a spinner,” Ravi Shastri and Shaun Pollock opined on Star Sports pitch report for IND vs SA 1st Test.
Tricky Centurion pitch for IND vs SA 1st Tet
But if there is sunshine, the pitch will only get drier and cracks will begin to appear, assisting spinners. It could be a tricky choice for India Cricket Team to choose between fourth seamer or an additional spinner in Ravichandran Ashwin for IND vs SA 1st Test.
“With the sun out, the pitch tends to crack a bit more and get the spinners into play. Don’t expect the pitch to change too much across the Test. The best approach is bat first, guts it out in the first two session and be happy if you’re just 2 down at Lunch,” Pollock & Shastri said.
