Ind vs Eng: Why have pitches in England become batting-friendly?
India vs England Test series
, but also in County Championship and the India U-19 vs England U-19 matches.
After the Youth Test between the Under-19 teams ended in a draw at Kent County ground in Beckenham last week, the curator was asked if the Indian Test team requested any special kind of pitches for their practice session.
Explore courses from Top Institutes in
Select a Course Category
Others
Project Management
Leadership
Public Policy
Finance
others
Data Analytics
Data Science
healthcare
Operations Management
PGDM
Design Thinking
Cybersecurity
CXO
Artificial Intelligence
Data Science
Healthcare
Degree
Technology
Management
Product Management
MCA
MBA
Digital Marketing
Skills you'll gain:
Duration:
9 months
IIM Lucknow
SEPO - IIML CHRO India
Starts on
undefined
Get Details
Skills you'll gain:
Duration:
16 Weeks
Indian School of Business
CERT-ISB Transforming HR with Analytics & AI India
Starts on
undefined
Get Details
Skills you'll gain:
Duration:
7 Months
S P Jain Institute of Management and Research
CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India
Starts on
undefined
Get Details
Skills you'll gain:
Duration:
28 Weeks
MICA
CERT-MICA SBMPR Async India
Starts on
undefined
Get Details
'It's been a long summer and a lot of cricket has been played. Even if they ask for anything, I won't be able to give them,' the curator replied.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Play War Thunder now for free
War Thunder
Play Now
Undo
The locals at Manchester are calling it a "beautiful summer" as the sun has been blazing down barring the rain in the last few days.
Weather and pitches have been a constant topic of discussion. India pacer Akash Deep, on his first tour of England, expected encouraging seam and swing but the bubble was burst in the first India 'A' game he played before the Test series.
Live Events
Before the series started, England team's managing director Rob Key observed that the increasing amount of cricket has played a part in the pitches getting flatter over the years. 'There are a lot of tired squares. They've got more cricket than ever now that The Hundred and women's cricket are in every county,' Key analysed.
As seen in the first three Tests between India and England, the pitches have lost zip. At Edgbaston, England captain Ben Stokes even said that the conditions resembled the subcontinent.
Former England captain Andrew Strauss, too, leaned on the narrative. 'With cloud cover and a bit more moisture in the surfaces, you're going to get a little bit more live grass. Therefore, it's going to seam and swing a bit more. So, the weather's played perfectly into India's hands so far ,' Strauss told TOI during the Lord's Test.
The "Bazball" style of play, which is a batting-dominated approach may have also played a role in the kind of pitches being rolled out. Another former England captain Michael Vaughan brought up this point during a chat with TOI.
'For England to play this style of cricket (attacking batting), if you play on green tops, they are going to get bowled out quite quickly. I would think that England want to play on flatter wickets to play the expansive brand of cricket,' Vaughan reckoned.
Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta, who has been a broadcaster for the seires, pointed out that the ground staff struggle to maintain moisture after all the grounds were made sand-based to improve drainage.
'A few of the ground staff told me that all the rainwater drains out so quickly that it dries up the surface quickly. In fact, the ground staff in Birmingham had to recently put cardboard sheets besides the main square so that the main square remains moist longer,' Dasgupta told TOI .
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Standard
29 minutes ago
- Business Standard
England vs India Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES, 4th Test: Who will replace Reddy & Akash in India's XI?
ENG vs IND 4th Test Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES: The weather conditions at the Old Trafford will dictate what will be India's XI. England already announced their line-up with only one change In the fourth Test of England vs India Test series, also known as Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, captain Shubman Gill has to make a big selection call ahead of toss at 3:30 PM IST, at the Old Trafford in Manchester today. India trailing the five-match series 2-1 and need to make at least two changes in their Playing 11 given Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep, who played third Test, are injured. While Reddy has been ruled out of the series, Akash is not available for selection for 4th test. The injury cloud around the Team India means, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah set to play the Manchester Test, a decision largely dictated by the series situation. With Akash Deep unavailable, the third fast-bowling slot remains undecided. Vice-captain Shubman Gill indicated that a final call will be made just before the toss, with the choice between Prasidh Krishna, who has already featured twice in the series, and newcomer Anshul Kamboj, who recently joined the squad in the UK. Given the weather forecast predicts persistent rain throughout the match, the team management is also assessing the need for an additional spinner. This adds another layer of complexity to the already tricky selection process. Middle-order shifts on the cards Batting changes are also expected, with Nitish Reddy likely to be replaced by a specialist batter, possibly Sai Sudharsan. However, the larger dilemma lies in balancing the lower-middle order. The team must decide whether to retain Washington Sundar for his all-round abilities at No. 8 or bring in Shardul Thakur to bolster the seam attack. Dawson returns as England announce Playing XI Meanwhile, England have taken a more straightforward route, announcing their playing XI in advance. Their only change from the Lord's Test is the inclusion of Liam Dawson, who replaces the injured Shoaib Bashir. The 35-year-old Dawson, making his first Test appearance since 2017, brings left-arm spin to the attack and strengthens the batting unit with his impressive record of 18 first-class centuries. India Squad: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Anshul Kamboj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel. 9:56 AM 4th Test | ENG vs IND Playing 11 LIVE UPDATES Hello and welcome to our live coverage of England vs India playing 11 news for the 4th test, which is scheduled to take place at the Old Trafford in Manchester. As the two teams gearing up for the Manchester Test, stay tuned with Business Standard for all the updates and possible combination India can go for for the Manchester Test.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG 4th Test Live Streaming: When and where to watch, match timings, squads, and more
India Vs England 4th Test Live Streaming: Shubman Gill will lead India against Ben Stokes' England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. India trails 1-2 in the series after a narrow loss at Lord's. Injury concerns plague the Indian side, forcing changes in the bowling attack. England makes one change, bringing in Liam Dawson. Fans can watch the live action on JioHotstar and Sony Sports Network. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Injury Woes for India England Make a Single Change When and Where to Watch Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Match Details: India vs England 4th Test Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester Dates: July 23 to July 27, 2025 Start Time: 3:30 PM IST Toss: 3:00 PM IST Live Streaming: JioHotstar Live Telecast: Sony Sports Network Squads for IND vs ENG 4th Test ENG vs IND, 4th Test LIVE streaming: The highly anticipated fourth Test of the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will see Shubman Gill's Team India take on Ben Stokes-led England at Old Trafford, Manchester. Scheduled from July 23 to 27, the match will begin at 3:30 PM IST, with the toss set for 3:00 PM a nail-biting 22-run loss in the third Test at Lord's, India trails 1-2 in the series and will be aiming to level things up in Manchester. The series has already seen dramatic swings: England opened with a five-wicket win at Headingley, while India bounced back in style with a 336-run win at Edgbaston. However, the hosts reclaimed the lead at Lord's in a task has been made tougher due to a string of injuries. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and pacer Arshdeep Singh have been ruled out of the remaining matches. Akash Deep is also unlikely to feature in the fourth Test due to a groin issue. These setbacks have forced the team management to rely heavily on a reshuffled bowling meanwhile, enter the fourth Test with only one change to their lineup. Spinner Liam Dawson replaces Shoaib Bashir, who has been sidelined for the rest of the series with a finger injury sustained during the Lord's in India can catch the live action of the IND vs ENG 4th Test on the JioHotstar app and website. The match will also be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network, allowing viewers to follow the high-stakes battle from the comfort of their Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Ben Stokes (C), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (WK), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.
NDTV
29 minutes ago
- NDTV
With Glaring IPL Remark, Gautam Gambhir Told To Resolve 'Serious' Pacers Injury Issue
Former cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar believes the struggles of Indian seamers to stay fit for a long time have become a "serious issue" and need to be tackled "properly". With India trailing 1-2 against England in a five-match series and in a must-win situation, the tourists' camp has been plagued by injuries ahead of the contest in Manchester on Wednesday. Akash Deep, the hero of India's historic Test win at Edgbaston, is battling a groin injury. Arshdeep Singh, who is yet to earn his maiden Test cap, hurt his hand during a training session in Beckenham. With India plagued by injuries, Anshul Kamboj was sent to Manchester to bolster the depleted pace bowling attack. Before Akash's recent setback, he was away from the on-field action due to a long injury lay-off. During India's tour of Australia, Akash featured in two Tests and sustained a back injury, which kept him out for three months. He returned to the field for Lucknow Super Giants in the 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). "I think there is a choice. But there are all untested young seam bowlers with talent. Arshdeep is an exciting option, and Anshul Kamboj as well. I liked Harshit Rana in the one Test he played in Australia. There will always be seam bowlers around. But it is just the kind of scenario we have," Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo Match Day. Manjrekar labelled Akash's injury crisis as a "glaring example" of the current injury crisis and the bane of the Indian seamers. Apart from Akash, the world's best Jasprit Bumrah is restricted from competing in all five Tests as part of his workload management. The precaution around Bumrah's usage stems from a stress reaction in his back during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney in January. As a result, the 31-year-old is taking part in three out of the five fixtures. Young tearaway Mayank Yadav is another exciting talent who has missed the chance to test the speed gun. Mayank's time in the last edition of the IPL was cut down to four games due to a side strain. During his recovery, he sustained another injury, which further delayed his return. He eventually regained fitness and returned with his breakneck pace to feature against Bangladesh in T20Is, but another injury setback hindered his progress. The 22-year-old, who fetched a lucrative amount of Rs 11 crore for himself in the cash-rich league auction, recovered at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. After two appearances, the 23-year-old was forced to sit out due to a back injury. "With the IPL, white-ball cricket, and Tests, we just don't have our fast bowlers staying fit long enough. Akash Deep is a glaring example. It is not like he has bowled a lot through the season, and hence, now, fit or workload management was not addressed properly," he said. "I think it has become a serious issue where you don't have Indian seam bowlers staying fit long enough, and that has to be addressed by Indian cricket. We see young, exciting bowling talent in the IPL, and after three matches, they are not seen in the next season. Somebody needs to get to the bottom of it," he added. India's squad for fourth Test: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav, Anshul Kamboj.
