The fun is over! What is one of the most nail-biting and interesting series of recent times is coming to an end. Having bagged the series (3-1) already, the India cricket team will face Ben Stokes & Co. for one last time in Dharamshala. Despite having the series in the bag, the Indian management isn’t willing to give the visitors a pitch conducive to their strengths.
With two days left before the start of the India vs England 5th Test, images of the Dharamshala pitch have come out. With points on the line to make the World Test Championship (WTC) Final 2025, it seems like the fast and bouncy surface isn’t being offered to the visitors.
Dharamshala Pitch Report: India flips the script, offers a slow turner to England
The pitch at Dharamshala Stadium is generally considered to be pacer-friendly. However, this time around, one can expect a slow turner similar to the ongoing trend in the India vs England Test series.
Having seen English spinners struggle to bowl a consistent line and length and their batter to score big, Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid have decided to flip the script and give the Bazballers no chance for a moral victory in what will be Jonny Bairstow’s 100th Test.
If we look at the pitch in Dharamshala historically, it has helped pacers. But ever since it was reconstructed in 2022, it has played differently. In the four matches played in the 2024 season of the Ranji Trophy 2024, the average first-inning score here is 288.
Although rain and even sleet didn’t allow the curators to work on the pitch last week, so far this week we have seen clear skies. With no signs of rain but chances of cloud cover, one can expect the new ball to swing. However, once that shine is gone, the pitch should help batters and spinners alike.
This first-class season, no side has successfully chased down a target here. But, given how Indian management demands that the pitch be a slow turner, a chase can be possible here. Unlike the Ranchi or Rajkot pitch, which started breaking on Day 3, the surface in Dharamshala should remain hard and intact. This means that batters can expect consistency and even go on chasing a fourth-inning total.
Editor's Pick
Top Stories
