Pitch at Kotla holds all the cards on the eve of Test
Things truly have moved into a higher gear in the Zimbabwean tour of India
Anand Vasu
17-Nov-2000
Things truly have moved into a higher gear in the Zimbabwean tour of
India. After two warm up matches that gave the tourists more than
enough time to get used to conditions in India, they have arrived at
Delhi for the first of two Test matches. The Ferozeshah Kotla ground
is bustling with activity, so much so that it's bordering on the
chaotic. Beginning their practice session at the National Stadium, the
Indian team joined the Zimbabwean team at the Kotla early this
afternoon.
Touring teams find a variety of things not completely to their liking
in the subcontinent. The crowds of people mobbing players everywhere,
the surroundings that are not always as clean and tidy as the tourists
would like. But most of all, it is the condition of pitches that puts
the fear of God in visiting teams. The wicket at the Kotla gives
enough room for worry for the Zimbabweans. Although there is talk of
it being a flat batting track, one cannot ignore indications that it
will take turn much earlier than a fair Test wicket should. Whatever
little grass there was on the wicket was being scraped off as the
players practiced.
The pitch also has a direct bearing on team composition. Although both
Heath Streak and Sourav Ganguly said that they would make the final
decision on team composition tomorrow, many of the players are
automatic choices, while a few drop themselves. India are almost
certain to go into the match with only two mediumpacers. Zaheer Khan
and Javagal Srinath would be certainties to play. Sunil Joshi has both
wickets and runs behind him and will be India's first choice spinner.
Murali Kartik hardly got to bowl in India's victory against
Bangladesh. The skipper pointedly asked the selectors for an
offspinner and Sharandeep Singh was summoned. In the first warm up
game against the Zimbabweans, Sharandeep Singh sent down 42 overs and
could not pick up a single wicket. His inability to turn the ball
appreciably or deceive batsmen through the air makes it difficult to
understand how he will be any more successful if he plays in the Kotla
Test.
Yuvraj Singh warmed the bench in Dhaka and it seems like that will be
his case here as well. A classy bat like VVS Laxman could not get a
look in and he will be hoping that his lot is a better one against
Zimbabwe.
For Zimbabwe, the choices are a bit harder, although they are
reasonably well endowed in the fast bowling department, with skipper
Streak and Henry Olonga all set to fire on all cylinders. Young Travis
Friend has a niggling injury, but he too has been getting good lift
off the wicket thus far. When it comes to the spinners, who could play
an important part, Zimbabwe seem to be short of quality. Paul Strang
is an experienced campaigner but he will find it difficult to tie the
Indians down. Brian Murphy is still a trifle inexperienced and he
can't have forgotten the pasting he received at the hands of Virender
Sehwag and company.
Fortunately for Zimbabwe, their batting has shaped up well. Senior
members of the side, Andy Flower and Alistair Campbell have been among
the runs and are leading the way. Gavin Rennie too has shown, that he
can wield the bat in Indian conditions.
Tomorrow however will pose the first serious threat to the
Zimbabweans. There are murmurs going around the Kotla suggesting that
this Test may not go the full distance. That was exactly the kind of
talk that was doing the rounds before India went to Dhaka. However,
one has to remember Zimbabwe are not pushovers and India are no world
beaters.