While it was a rest day for Rohit Sharma & Co as they travelled to Kolkata after demolishing Sri Lanka in Mumbai, there was no rest for Rahul Dravid and his coaching entourage. Head coach Dravid, batting coach Vikram Rathour and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey headed straight to take a look at the Eden Gardens Pitch for IND vs SA Cricket World Cup game on Sunday.
After two low-scoring games with dew affecting both, IND vs SA is expected to have a batting heaven. Rahul Dravid has made it a norm in every city to head straight to the stadium to take stock of the pitch. On Friday, he spent 15 minutes to check the 22-yard strip.
But with drizzle in Kolkata, entire ground was under cover. Cricket Association of Bengal curator Sujan Mukherjee only took the covers off of two strips where India will play the match and practise on the other.
“The head coach (Rahul Dravid) seemed satisfied with the track. We have produced good wickets at Eden. The bounce will be even and batters will get value for their shots. But bottom line is, one needs to play well. Sri Lanka got all out for 55. Was it a bad track?” CAB curator Mukherjee told PTI.
IND vs SA on used pitch
However, Sujan Mukherjee confirmed that India vs South Africa game will be on the used pitch where the Netherlands & Bangladesh played. While Netherlands struggled to post 229 in 50 overs, Bangladesh were bowled out for 142.
Sujan Mukherjee said that the pitch has been reworked. It will be a black soil pitch which could see Ravichandran Ashwin returning to the side at the expense of a seamer. But with all three seamers in superb form, it remains to be seen who Rahul Dravid drops.
“The match would be played on the same track where Holland played Bangladesh. That was first game and after that some work has been done on the track. The grass kept is very minimal and Eden is always a black soil track. So it will be hard strip where one can hit through the line. This Indian line-up, if they bat first, can score 300 plus,” a CAB official told PTI.
