IND vs NZ | No instructions from team management on pitch, says Green Park curator
Ahead of the first Test between India and New Zealand on Thursday in Kanpur, Green Park curator, Shiv Kumar has stated that Team India management did not have any specific demands on the pitch. The pitch curator further added that he is confident that the Kanpur Test won’t end inside three days.
There have been instances where the Indian team have given specific instructions on how to prepare wickets that can suit the team. In 2015, when South Africa toured India, pitches produced in Mohali and Nagpur were rank turners and those games ended inside three days.
This year, the second and third Test against England at home saw rank turners on which the games ended on four and two days respectively. Meanwhile, Kumar has revealed that the head coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Ajinkya Rahane haven’t given any specific instructions.
"Neither did we get any instruction from BCCI nor did anyone from the team management contacted me asking for a rank turner," Kumar told PTI. "I have prepared a pitch keeping guidelines for a good pitch in mind."
Kumar added that the pitch to be used for the game won’t break easily and last more than three days.
"There would be some amount of moisture as you expect in the month of November at this part of the world," Kumar said. However, I can assure you that it is a firm track and won't break down easily."
Kumar further added that the batsmen struggle against spinners because they bat with T20 temperament.
"Some of the matches that ended inside three days had a lot to do with how modern batters with T20 temperament approach spinners," Kumar said. "I am confident that the match won't end inside three days."
The last Test played between the two teams at the venue was in 2016 and the game lasted five days and India won.