Now Reading: India surprised by grassy Colombo pitch ahead of Sri Lanka Test series
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India surprised by grassy Colombo pitch ahead of Sri Lanka Test series
India's team management was reportedly surprised by how much grass was left on the pitch for their three day practice match against a Sri Lanka XI at Colombo's Nondescripts Cricket Club, ahead…
India's team management was reportedly surprised by how much grass was left on the pitch for their three day practice match against a Sri Lanka XI at Colombo's Nondescripts Cricket Club, ahead of the first Test in Galle on August 15, NDTV Sports and ABP Live reported. NCC official A Francke told RevSportz that Sri Lanka Cricket had asked for the grass cover, that it was standard for a three day fixture, and that the surface was otherwise a fair batting pitch that could help spinners from the second or third day onward. The Hindu reported that the warm up carries added weight for India's batters after recent difficulties against quality spin from New Zealand and South Africa at home, with several frontline players, including captain Shubman Gill, already working individually against spin before the squad travelled to Colombo.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Francke's account answers the complaint directly: the grass was Sri Lanka Cricket's request for a three day fixture, and by his telling the wicket remains a good, fair batting track that should assist spin only from the second or third day. That leaves the harder question the grass distracted from: India's batting line up already struggled against spin from New Zealand and South Africa at home, and only Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja in this touring squad have previously played a Test in Sri Lanka. With Jasprit Bumrah already ruled out through injury and India chasing a record of not losing a Test series there since 2008, the sharper question is how Gill's batting line up copes against Sri Lanka's spin attack once the series proper begins in Galle on August 15.
Coverage: 4 sources, 3 neutral
Sources (4): sports.ndtv.com (neutral report), news.abplive.com (neutral report), thehindu.com (neutral report), newindianexpress.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry.
