The pitch for Sunday’s all-important game between India and Australia has been changed on request of the Indian team management.
“The game was scheduled to be played on a pitch which would have played similar to the one that was used for the Pakistan-Australia match. But India weren’t happy and have now requested a change. Now, the pitch that they have chosen will assist spin and maybe inconsistent bounce,” said an official of BCCI was quoted by Indian daily Hindustan Times.
The Indian daily also stated the move unprecedented as in an ICC tournament, the pitches are prepared and offered by an ICC-appointed curator. That is meant to be sacrosanct.
Something similar happened in Nagpur in India’s first game as well which they lost to New Zealand. The pitch was changed there, too, at the behest of the team management. The move backfired as India couldn’t cope with New Zealand spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi.
Punjab Cricket Association curator and BCCI pitch committee chairman Daljit Singh refused to comment.
However, citing an association source Hindustan Times reported that there will be something in the pitch for the spinners.