"Hyderabad pitch won't spin.."- Kevin Pietersen lambasts BCCI curators before series begins

Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen has shared his first thoughts on the Hyderabad pitch ahead of the first Test between India and England starting on January 25. The Test series is a part of the ICC World Test Championship.

England arrived in Hyderabad for the first Test on January 21. Batter Harry Brook has withdrawn from the Test series citing personal reasons as well. England have named Dan Lawrence as his replacement.

Meanwhile, the first glimpse of the Hyderabad pitch have broken the internet. The picture has a dry and rough look to it. The groundsmen can be seen watering the pitch. However, from the naked eye, there is a feeling that the pitch will turn from day one. At least that is what Kevin Piersen feels as he has said in his latest Tweet.

First Look Of Hyderabad Pitch For India-England Test Match Out

Hyderabad pitch ahead of 1st #INDvENG Test 👀 pic.twitter.com/grG7sKpG0s

— Subhayan Chakraborty (@CricSubhayan) January 22, 2024

“I cannot for the life of me believe that Hyderabad won’t spin in day 1” wrote KP on his Twitter handle. Meanwhile, England coach Brendon McCullum seems to have a different view.

Kevin Pietersen Shares His Thoughts On Hyderabad Pitch

I cannot for the life of me believe that Hyderabad won’t spin in day 1….!

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) January 22, 2024

“It looked good. It looks like it’s going to spin. It may not turn right from the word go, but you’d think at some stage it will turn and I’m sure spin will be a huge factor throughout the series.” McCullum said.

All the focus seems to be on the Indian team and the pitch ahead of the first Test. Rohit Sharma was very vocal about what kind of pitches the visiting teams expect in India after India won the Cape Town Test against South Africa. A total of 23 wickets fell on the very first day of the Test match as India won the match in two days in Cape Town.

Also Read: “When you have a leader…”- Zaheer Khan’s no-nonsense verdict on Test captain Rohit Sharma

The high-voltage India-England test series now starts on January 25 with the pitch glooming all the limelight. The tour starts with the first test in Hyderabad from January 25-29. Visakhapatnam hosts the second Test from February 2-6, followed by the third Test in Rajkot from February 15-19. Ranchi hosts the fourth Test in challenging conditions from February 23-27. The tour concludes with the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala from March 7-11.

Virat Kohli To Skip First Two Tests Against England

The absence of Virat Kohli from the first two Tests is another debate centering around the Indian team. Kohli has opted out of the first Test citing personal reasons. Kohli has reportedly informed the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and the BCCI regarding his decision and the board has asked the fans to respect his privacy.

“Virat has spoken to Captain Rohit Sharma, the team management, and the selectors and has emphasised that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention,” BCCI said in a statement.

“The BCCI respects his decision and the Board and team management has extended its support to the star batter and is confident in the abilities of the remaining squad members to step up and deliver commendable performances in the Test series. “The BCCI requests the media and fans to respect Virat Kohli’s privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons” the BCCI statement added.

The India-England Test series will have large-scale implications on the World Test Championship table as well. India starts the series placed second on the table. Australia are currently leading the points table with England placing eighth on the table with a PCT of 15.00. England will play 17 Test matches throughout the year and will get plenty of opportunities to move up the table.

Also Read: Rinku Singh to replace Virat Kohli in India’s Test squad vs England? BCCI makes a big move