"Don't know which surface we are going to play on yet" - Abhishek Nayar reveals India are still deciding on their bowling combination
Team India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar has admitted that the management are yet to make a call on the playing surface, and by extension, the bowling combination for the second Test against Bangladesh at Green Park in Kanpur. The series finale is scheduled to begin from Friday, September 27, with India heading in with a 1-0 lead.
Early reports during the build-up to the Test revealed that the curators have prepared two pitches, leaving the final decision up to the captain-coach duo of Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir. Irrespective of the choice, it is expected to be different from the surface that was put out for the series opener at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The red soil pitch, assisting bounce and pace, in the first Test prompted Team India to field three fast bowlers, leaving Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel on the bench. However, the Green Park is likely to witness a black soil pitch, which will aid spin and not yield much bounce.
Nayar was asked about the prospect of local boy Kuldeep Yadav potentially getting into the playing XI in place of one of the spinners, taking the conditions into account.
"I can't give you the playing XI right now. Everyone is available. Don't know which surface we are going to play on yet. Conditions would be a big factor in deciding the team combination. Conditions have changed here so much, we expect a sunny day here tomorrow," Nayar said during the pre-match press conference.
The Green Park last hosted a Test in late-2021 during New Zealand's tour of India. The match ended in a draw after Ajaz Patel and Rachin Ravindra survived nine overs towards the end of the match with a wicket to spare, and their efforts were fruitful after bad light brought a halt to the proceedings.
"It will have something for everyone" - Kanpur curator ahead of second India vs Bangladesh Test
The curators responsible for preparing the playing surface have assured a sporting pitch, bringing players from all departments into the game. Weather will also play a key role in the combination as overcast conditions dominated the skyline on the eve of the contest, and the same is forecasted for the majority of the time, including rainfall.
"There will be that Chennai match feeling. It will have something for everyone. It will offer bounce in the first two sessions and it will be pretty good for batting for the first two days. Then, the spinners will come into play on the last three days," curator Shiv Kumar told PTI.
India are not expected to make any changes to their batting combination, with the players not involved likely to travel to Lucknow for the upcoming Irani Cup contest.