Kolkata: A typical red soil pitch is being prepared in Chennai for the first Test between India and Bangladesh, beginning Thursday. There is a light sprinkling of grass on it but with one more day to go before the Test begins, some more work on it is expected. Asked about the pitch, Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said it looked like a “sporting wicket”.

“It looks like a sporting wicket at this stage. But, judging by the sub-continent conditions, it can change right from Day 1. Not sure when it is going to start turning though,” he said.

Traditionally, Chennai has produced red soil pitches that tend to hold firm but 2021 had witnessed a departure from that practice when a strip with a loose black top soil was dished out after England had won the first Test at the same venue.

England’s batting imploded both times and India eased to a series-levelling win due to an all-round performance from local boy Ravichandran Ashwin and a hundred from Rohit Sharma.

So brittle was the top soil back then that spinners accounted for 17 of the 20 England wickets in that Test. This pitch however could provide a more balanced game, as bowlers can expect bounce and carry and spinners can come into the picture after the third day.

India are likely to play five bowlers with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj sharing the new ball and Ashwin and Jadeja as the lead spinners. How the pitch looks before the toss could prompt India picking a third spinner in Kuldeep Yadav or going for an extra seamer in Akash Deep.

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