Pink Ball Test: Motera Pitch Comes Under Scrutiny Again As Spinners Make Hay

The pitch for the third Test here at the colossal and grand Motera stadium looked more like a construction site with puffs of dust rising, and the surface crumbling at both batting ends, even though t

However, the area around the two batting ends being dry, crumbling and dusty and especially on pitches that haven't been used, is surprising.

Due to Covid-19, Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium didn't get to host any match for about 10 months. The Motera stadium has been built from scratch with a completely new wicket.

"Usually, the area around the batting ends [of a pitch] has little grass because of the matches that are played on it round the year. So, you have to prepare well. There are various methods, like how you roll among others," explains Daljeet Singh, former head of the pitches and grounds committee.

But on fresh wickets with little cricket having happened in recent times, the onus falls on preparation. The pitch, it appears, was prepared poorly for this match.

It should be noted that the Indian cricket board curator Taposh Chatterjee was sent back after the first Test which India lost after England put up a huge total in the first innings at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

According to sources, the team management got involved in the preparation of the pitch and it wasn't watered at all ahead of the second Test, also played in Chennai.