Pitch in focus as Maharashtra face stiff Delhi challenge

Soon after Virender Sehwag made a mockery of net bowlers by hitting them into stands at will, a couple of his Delhi team-mates walked across the practice nets into the main square to inspect the pitch at the Maharashtra Cricket Association's stadium at Gahunje. And they were surprised at the lack of green tinge on the surface.

So far, Maharashtra have hosted three games, all three of which produced results on green tops. On the eve of their crucial Ranji Trophy Group B league tie against Delhi, the surface at the bowl-shaped stadium resembled the brownish strip of the last two years that was compared to the Mumbai-Pune Expressway that runs alongside the stadium.

"Little surprised to see this kind of a wicket," Delhi coach Vijay Dahiya said. "We thought it would be a result-oriented wicket, but it's a typical west sort of a wicket. Looks a hard wicket."

Delhi's confusion was understandable, considering Group A standings. While Delhi are sitting pretty at the top with 30 points with three rounds remaining, Maharashtra - despite having jumped to third place on the back of consecutive victories in their last two games - are far from being assured of a top-three finish and entry into knockouts. With six points separating five teams, the race for the third qualification spot could well stretch till the last round. In such a scenario, Maharashtra's move of playing on what appears to be a flat track appears to be defensive.

It gives an impression that Maharashtra have admitted that they cannot overcome Gautam Gambhir's side, which has emerged as the most cohesive unit of the group; they appear to be thinking more about earning at least one point for avoiding a loss, than causing an upset.

Maharashtra captain Rohit Motwani, however, did not view the pitch in the same way. "I wouldn't say it's a flat track. It's a bouncy track. The brown look may give a feel there is no grass, but there is live grass on the wicket and in the morning in colder conditions, it will become livelier so it will offer a good help for the pace bowlers," Motwani said after an open-air team meeting, a rarity in Indian cricket, where teams mostly confine their discussions to the dressing room.

"We will never try to play safe or try to back off. We would keep the same intensity that we have had for five games, because that has been working for us. I don't think it's a good idea to back off. We will be coming hard again."

If Maharashtra indeed go hard at Delhi, they know that they will be in danger of being hit harder in return by a team in prime form. Despite not having a single player in top-10 run-getters and wicket-takers, Delhi have claimed maximum points this year. They have performed as a unit, with each one of their key batsmen - Gambhir, Sehwag, Mithun Manhas, Unmukt Chand and Rajat Bhatia - among the runs.