MS Dhoni closely monitoring Ranchi track for third Test

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni is no longer a part of the Indian Test setup. But that does not keep him away from being in the thick of the action. Dhoni is closely following the India v Australia Test series and is reportedly following the Ranchi track with care. Ranchi, Dhoni’s hometown, is all set to become the 26th Test venue in India when it will host the third Test of the four-match series against Australia. With the series poised at 1-1, the match at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) stadium will be the game both teams would forward to.

Jharkhand team made it to the knock out stage of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy and reached Ranchi earlier this morning. It was then that MS Dhoni visited the venue and monitored the preparations going on for the all important fixture between India and Australia. The JSCA Secretary Debashish Chakrabarty spoke to Sportstar and noted that MS Dhoni is very keen on knowing the kind of surface that will be faring up for the match. Also, he is never short on giving suggestions and inputs to the groundsmen.

“He (Dhoni) is very cautious about the wicket conditions. To make sure that everything is in place, MS visits the stadium regularly. MS gave a few suggestions. And even after reaching Kolkata, he constantly kept in touch with the curator and the groundsmen to know about the preparation of the pitch. With the Indian team bouncing back in the series, even Dhoni wants to make the third Test memorable. That’s why he is always ready to help,” quoted the JSCA secretary.

As per the reports, three tracks have been created at the venue. Apparently, one of the tracks is a green surface, the second one has a tinge of grass and the third one is a dry wicket. The BCCI has given no directive over what kind of wicket must be kept ready for the match. However, the curators are trying to balance it in favor of both the sides.

Also read – ICC come out with verdict on the Steve Smith DRS fiasco

“We will be strictly following the BCCI guideline, which states that a pitch should be balanced. Even though this track would eventually help the spinners, it would also give the batters a chance to stick around. The spectators will enjoy a five-day match. The tweakers will be able to take control of the game after the second day. The side batting in the fourth innings will face a challenge,” JSCA Curator SB Singh quoted.