Kolkata — After enduring a big defeat by an innings and 130 runs in Indore against hosts India, Bangladesh are gearing up to bounce back in Kolkata in the 2nd and last Test beginning on Friday (November 22) at the historic Eden Gardens.
The chief curator of the famous ground Sujan Banerjee said the wicket for the Kolkata Test will a ‘sporting’ one, which he expects will be helpful for both the teams.
Bangladesh and India conducted their first practice sessions at the ground on Wednesday. They will get just another session each on Thursday before the Test.
Usually, a sporting wicket in cricket means one that will have something for all types of cricketers over the course of the five days: offering fast bowlers some green cover to start with, flattening out over days 2 and 3, before the spinners come into the game as the wicket starts crumbling on the last two days.
“Since it’s a pink-ball match, it will be good to keep some grass at the wicket. So we are preparing the wicket in Kolkata keeping this in mind,” Sujan told the media Wednesday afternoon.
“The wicket will be the same as it remains during the IPL. I hope the wicket will be sporting one, it will help the batsmen and bowlers in a same way. We arranged a pink-ball match earlier which was played with Kookaburra balls. But this ensuing Test will be played on SG balls. I don’t know how it will behave on this wicket,” he added.
The main difference between the Australian-made Kookaburra cricket balls and the Indian SG brand is in the prominence of the seam: the Kookaburra has a much less prominent seam that gets depressed quite quickly on hard wickets, making it tougher for seam bowlers.
There is much possibility of dew during the evening hours of the Kolkata Test which might make the job of the bowlers tough. According to Banerjee, the amount of dew at present is negotiable.
“I stayed in the field until 7 to 8pm during the last few days. I didn’t see much dew in the field. We are spraying anti-dew spray for a few days, so that the dew drops to the soil fast. I think the dew will be negotiable for the cricketers,” Banerjee further told the media.
India conducted their practice session under lights on Wednesday. Bangladesh will get the same opportunity on Thursday.UNB
