AHMEDABAD, India, (Reuters) – Pitch talk has been a constant feature of India’s four-test series against Australia and the trend continued on the eve of the final match in Ahmedabad which is likely to draw a record crowd today.
After rank turners were rolled out for the first three matches of the series, curiosity abounded about the possible nature of the surface in Ahmedabad.
With the groundstaff yet to confirm which of the two prepared pitches would be used, Australia’s stand-in captain Steve Smith decided to delay naming their playing XI.
“We’ll have a look (at the pitch on Wednesday) and we’ll reassess, but it could be we name the team at the toss,” Smith told reporters on Wednesday.
Smith will lead Australia again in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins who flew home after the second match in Delhi to be with his ailing mother in Sydney.
India retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy with back-to-back wins in Nagpur and Delhi but Smith says drawing the series would be no mean feat for his side.
“It’d be a huge achievement for the group, or any touring team that comes here to India and wins two test matches,” Smith said.
The largest attendance for a single day of test cricket is 91,112 – a record set during the fourth game between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the 2013-14 Ashes series.
That could be shattered on Thursday when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after whom the 132,000 capacity stadium in Ahmedabad is named, welcomes his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.
India, who are 2-1 ahead in the series, would need to win the match to seal their place in the final of the World Test Championship in June against Australia.
Skipper Rohit Sharma played down pitch talks and said the team with better skills would prevail.
“How challenging the pitches are, how much is it turning, how much is it seaming…we are trying to keep all of that away,” Rohit told reporters.
“Conditions are there for us to play and you got to find your ways to score your runs on whatever pitches you play on.”
Spinners have ruled the roost in the series, especially in the third test in Indore where India suffered two collapses en route to a nine-wicket loss.
“Not putting enough runs on the board in the first innings is probably what cost us the game,” Rohit said.
“It tells you that toss is not a factor at all in this series.
“You got bring out your best skills and play your best cricket to win the game.”
