India got the first bite of cricket in the Big Apple when they played Bangladesh in their only warm-up ahead of the T20 World Cup at the modular Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. Prior to the June 1 fixture, the venue was an untested commodity and more than teething problems were faced by Rohit Sharma & Co. Very early in the match, the drop-in pitch was a bit up and down and there were few deliveries which shot up from the good-length region.
Rahul Dravid, who saw the pitch only once before the fixture, felt it was “spongy” and the batters did a decent job to manage the above-par total. The head coach now wants to focus on preparations ahead of their tournament opener vs Ireland at the same venue.
“A little bit spongy (pitch) at times but I thought we coped really well. The batters had put an above-par score on that wicket and the bowlers came out and bowled really well. All in all, we got run-around and to get a game here is really nice. Hopefully, we can prepare well for the next couple of days and be ready,” says Dravid in a video posted by BCCI.tv.
READ: T20 World Cup: Rahul Dravid Gives His Verdict on ‘Spongy’ Pitch But Happy With Way India Played
More than the pitch, it was the outfield that attracted a lot of attention as the ball didn’t travel and there were occasions where there was a puff of dust/sand when a throw made contact with the field. The fielders felt the outfield was soft and all players need to be extra careful because it puts extra pressure on the hamstring and calves.
“It’s great to get a good hit-out. Obviously, it looks like a good facility in terms of as quickly as they have put up. The ground is a bit soft and the guys could feel that on the hamstring and the calves. So, that’s the area we need to ensure that we are working around and ensuring that the guys are looking after does feel a little bit heavy underneath,” says Dravid.
Both Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Dube echoed Dravid’s outfield observations and felt it would be a challenge to adapt to conditions and find the right rhythm in the three fixtures, including the high-octane India vs Pakistan clash, India are scheduled to play at the modular venue.
“Rushed venue”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) was struggling to find a venue in and around New York to host World Cup matches and the Nassau County option came up only in August last year. It took them another few months to finalise the formalities and actual work on the site started in February this year, just three months before teams were scheduled to arrive for their World Cup preps.
The drop-in pitches were only placed in the month of May and an experienced curator feels it didn’t get enough time to properly settle. It seems the race against the clock also didn’t allow the global body to have a thorough testing too.
“At least more than a month is needed for the pitch to settle in. Drop-in pitches have become a big hit these days but they need to be placed with utmost care and need some time, and thorough testing. After a month of placement, some testing – the bounce test, firmness test, and moisture test needs to be done during different times of the day. New York venue clearly didn’t have time for all that,” says a curator who has been preparing pitches and outfields for more than a decade now.
More than the pitch, it’s the outfield that looks very unsettled. The ground is a sand-based facility, which is now a preferred option because of the drainage properties, and it didn’t get enough time to be ready.
“That was the only reason why there was a puff of dust and sand when throws landed. It clearly hasn’t settled down and will not improve. There could be some issues with levelling as well but what I feel is that the sand didn’t get time to settle and the grass placed didn’t blend in properly. That’s the reason the ground feels soft. It takes at least six months for an outfield to settle down and be safe and injury-free for cricketers,” adds the curator.
India have no option but to adjust to the conditions on offer but the ICC could have done a far better job than making top cricketers play at a venue that seems far from ready and safe for international cricket.
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