NEW DELHI: The squeaky-clean stands, the blazing LED floodlights and a centre square that is barely distinct from the lush green outfield-the Arun Jaitley stadium, formerly known as the Ferozeshah Kotla, is a departure from its past.
Mahela Jayawardene, here with the Sri Lankan team as a consultant, praised the groundstaff for the quality of pitches on offer two days before his team's first match of the World Cup. Soon, South Africa's bowling coach Eric Simmons turned up at the centre square. For a number of years till 2015, as Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils) coach, he has been at loggerheads with curators here for providing bone dry surfaces. "This isn't the Kotla we are used to," was the murmur in the camp during the evening practice session.
