The upcoming second Test between India and New Zealand in Pune is set to feature a bald and slow-turning pitch, according to ESPNcricinfo. The pitch, primarily composed of black soil, will offer less bounce and be flatter compared to the first Test in Bengaluru.
India, reeling from their lowest Test score at home (46 all out) in the first Test, is eager to level the three-match series at 2-1. The team’s strategy for both the Pune and Mumbai Tests is to prepare pitches that favor spin, giving their spinners an advantage.
However, there will be a key difference between the Pune and Mumbai pitches: bounce. The black soil in Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium will result in lower bounce than the red soil in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
In Bengaluru, overcast conditions and intermittent rain made the pitch more conducive to seam bowling, which New Zealand exploited to their advantage. However, in Pune, India is expected to field at least three spinners, potentially altering the combination based on the amount of spin the slow surface offers.
The Indian selectors have added Washington Sundar to the squad as the 16th member, despite having Axar Patel as the fourth spinner alongside R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav.
Pune’s MCA stadium has hosted only two previous Tests. The inaugural Test in 2016 saw Australia win by a massive 333 runs, with left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe taking 12 wickets. The pitch was rated poor by the ICC match referee due to its abrasive surface and loose topsoil. In 2019, Virat Kohli scored a double-century in an innings victory over South Africa.
The pitch for the New Zealand Test is expected to be devoid of grass, with minimal seam movement outside the first hour after the toss. However, the dry surface will support reverse swing. The slowness of the surface and the lack of support for fast bowlers make the toss crucial, with teams likely to opt to bat first.
