India to prepare turning pitch in Pune after Bengaluru Test setback against New Zealand

The Indian cricket team is currently gearing up to take on New Zealand in the second Test of the ongoing three-match Test series at the MCA Stadium in Pune, starting October 24. Recently, India suffered an eight-wicket loss to New Zealand in the Test series opener in Bengaluru.

Now, in a bid to recover from their shocking defeat at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, a slow and turning pitch is being prepared for the second Test between India and New Zealand at the MCA Stadium in Pune to help the spinners dominate the game.

India prepares spin-friendly pitch in Pune for crucial second Test against New Zealand

An ESPNCricinfo report revealed that the pitch at the MCA Stadium, which is mainly made of black soil, will offer lower bounce as compared to the Bengaluru surface and favor heavily spin bowling, with flatter and slower conditions expected for the second game.

After being bowled out for a dismal 46 runs in the first innings of the Bengaluru Test, the Indian cricket team is under immense pressure to level the ongoing three-match Test series against New Zealand.

The major agenda behind preparing a flatter and slower track is to bring Team India's formidable spin attack into play and level the home series in order to stay in contention for the WTC final.

This spin-friendly track is expected to favor Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav, giving them the upper hand in the crucial second Test against India. Notably, the spin trio failed to turn the tide in Bengaluru with the little assistance on offer for the spinners in the first Test.

Pitch at the Wankhede Stadium will also offer assistance to spinners

Apart from the Pune surface, the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will also be similar, assisting the spinners in the third and final Test against New Zealand, starting on November 1. However, the major difference between the Pune and Mumbai pitches will be the variation in bounce, influenced by the type of soil used.

Pune’s MCA Stadium features black soil, which tends to offer lower bounce, while the red soil at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium is likely to provide more bounce. Meanwhile, it is also being reported that the Pune pitch for the second Test is likely to have no grass cover.

It is expected that seam movement will only be effective for about the first hour after the toss, after which the dry surface is likely to encourage reverse swing. Due to the slow nature of the pitch and limited assistance for fast bowlers, winning the toss will be crucial, with both teams likely preferring to bat first in Pune.

Team India can go with heavy spin attack in the Pune Test

Additionally, India is likely to field three spinners in Pune, like the first Test, but the combination may change depending on how much spin the slow surface offers, as the hosts have already added Washington Sundar to the squad.

India already has Axar Patel as the fourth spin option alongside Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav, but still they called up Sundar, so the hosts can go with four spinners in Pune, which will be hosting its only third Test and first since 2019 against South Africa.