In test match cricket, touring teams coming to India never expect a flat wicket to display their batting talent. New Zealand picked up bits and pieces players and the onus was on spin and that produced limited success. English team as a thorough professional side made their mind clear with three spinners in their ranks and Rajkot Test saw, Team India at the receiving end. As a regular practise, now we expect that the home team will resort to picking a rank turner for the second test at Visakhapatnam to settle the scores. But picking up a tailor made wicket may backfire against Indian team as in the past. Ashely Mallett, Abdul Qadir and John Bracewell all proved it wrong. Thus the team management will think twice before implementing Indian rope trick against the touring team. Even though the onus is on spin, the toss is of vital importance on Indian wickets as the ball turns square from day one and the match mostly finishes of by fourth day. England is a tough nut to crack and may turn the tables against us. Virat Kohli as the captain of the side is having tricks up his sleeves and his trump card bowler Ravichandran Ashwin may prove his worth and give a tough time to Cook and Company in one more close contest.
Jayant Ramani
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
