CHANDIGARH: For years, the Mohali track has been a delight for the faster bowlers. This was one of the rare Indian pitches which many overseas pace bowlers, including former Australia speedster Brett Lee would proudly endorse as a pace-friendly wicket.
A couple of years ago, Lee, who has 310 Test wickets, had cited the example of the Mohali track while urging curators to prepare sporting pitches, if India wanted to boast of quality quicks in their ranks. Lee explained that the pacers running in the heat hardly get any incentives, like the slower bowlers at the other end, who return a handful every match.
On Friday, when the Indian team management decided to play three frontline spinners against Sri Lanka at the IS Bindra PCA Stadium here, it left many, including a few former cricketers, surprised. The visitors went by the book and picked three pacers and two spinners.
The outcome, Sri Lankan pace trio of Suranga Lakmal, Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara combined for five wickets, while the spinners managed the rest of the three sticks. A look at the Sri Lankan bowlers' economy rate, with a costly average of 4 runs per over, however, suggests a different picture as the Indian batters dominated almost all the sessions in the first two days.
Soon after the tea session, the Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja accounted for three of the four Sri Lankan wickets that fell on Saturday. "The pitch is beginning to turn and should turn more. Balls are keeping low too so we have to bowl at the wicket," Jadeja said after the day's play.
When TOI reached out to seasoned curator Daljit Singh, he said he wasn't surprised by India's decision. The reason: the pitch was laid 30 years back in 1992, and secondly the match was played in March.
"Not surprised at all.."
"After the introduction of the Test championship, all teams are bound to opt for result-oriented Test matches, and with spin being India's main strength, there's no wrong in accumulating a few crucial points during home games," the former Punjab coach said.
"The PCA has agreed to take a relook at the Mohali wicket once the new stadium is fully operational and ready for international matches. Hundreds of matches have been played on this wicket, and as such there is a need to lay a new one."
"Had the match been played in December or January, you could have expected it to assist the seamers but in March, the turf tends to dry up as play progresses," he added.
With the pitch starting to turn, all eyes will now be on the Indian spinners on Sunday.
