Team India gets green pitches to prepare themselves ahead of the first Test

Earlier in December, India’s two-day practice match at Eurolux Boland Park ahead of the South Africa series, was cancelled by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Thus, the Indian team will head into their first Test encounter at Cape Town with playing any practice games in foreign conditions. However, to get the team acclimatized to South African conditions, the Men in Blue will have their practice sessions at Western Province Cricket Club,

In a bid to prepare themselves well ahead of the Test series, the Indians arrived early to South Africa. The Indian cricketers will begin their practice session at the picturesque Western Province Cricket Club, which is situated next to the Gary Kirsten Oval. Three wickets have been prepared by the groundsmen of WPCC, all looking similar in nature with a lot of grass.

According to XtraTime, the Supervisor John Martin said, “The wickets here will have a lot of carrying and bounce. They have specially prepared after receiving the instruction from the Indian team management.”

South Africa’s pace-laden attack reason for success at home

India will look to set their record straight in the rainbow nation when they take on the Proteas in a three-match Test series starting at Newlands Stadium from January 05. The numero uno Test side, however, has a dismal record in South Africa, having failed to win a series in their last six attempts. Their record over the past 25 years is nothing short of woeful.

The reason South Africa dominated over the years has a lot to do with their pace-laden bowling attack. More often than not, green and seam-friendly wickets are prepared and more often than not India’s batsmen have struggled.

During the recently concluded home series against Sri Lanka, the hosts appeared to be struggling in pace-friendly conditions in Kolkata and Dharamsala. The stint was enough for cricket pundits to raise questions over India’s readiness to play in foreign conditions in the new year 2018.

Stay updated on every ‘cricket news‘ and developments with CricTracker.com