IND vs ENG 4th Test pitch will be ‘A Batting Beauty’: BCCI official

The 22-yards that was used for the India vs England pink ball day-night Test match has been under immense scrutiny. India won the third Test match against England by a thrashing margin of 10 wickets inside 2 days at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The pitch used for the Test match has faced a lot of bashing from the former cricketers and experts as it did not offered anything for the betterment of Test match cricket. India have now taken a 2-1 unassailable lead in the four-match Test series before the fourth and final Test match starting from March 4 in Ahmedabad.

With the brilliant 10-wicket win at the world’s largest cricket stadium, India have also kept their chances very much alive of sealing that crucial spot in the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) alongside New Zealand. If India are able to win or draw the fourth Test against England, they will successfully qualify for the finals. However, after the loss in Ahmedabad, England are now out of contention to book a place in the WTC finals.

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IND vs ENG: High-scoring contest on the cards in the 4^th Test

In a recent major development, a senior official from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has good news for all the cricket fans. The senior BCCI official stated that the pitch for the fourth Test is expected to be a batting beauty at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The official also added that it will be a good hard surface which will be firm and have an even bounce on it.

“Expect a good hard surface which will be firm and even bounce. It will be a batting beauty and since its a traditional red ball match, one can expect a very high scoring contest here from March 4-8,” stated a senior BCCI official in an interaction with PTI.

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The pitch cannot be questioned after just one result: BCCI official

The BCCI official mentioned that it is not correct to bring the Ahmedabad track under scrutiny after just one international match. The official also stated that International Cricket Council (ICC) will decide the final course of action based on the report finalized by the ICC match referee Javagal Srinath after the end of the fourth and final Test match in Ahmedabad.

The India vs England pink ball Test match witnessed a total of 28 wickets taken by the spinner inside 2 days, however, it is also a fact that that 21 of the 30 dismissals were against the straighter deliveries instead of the turning ball. England captain Joe Root who picked up his maiden Test five-wicket haul also addressed the fact that the pink ball was skidding a lot quicker which was very much unexpected.

“If there are two matches played at the same venue, you can’t hold one result in isolation. Let the final Test be over and then only based on match referee Javagal Srinath’s report can ICC decide its course of action. Also as of now, the England team hasn’t lodged any official complaint,” the official added.

“The pink ball Test went well because it was more about the ball and the way it skidded rather than the pitch which many English former greats are panning. It was straight deliveries that they couldn’t counter. But having said that these kind of tracks have a tendency to backfire and BCCI is well aware of that,” he concluded.

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