India vs Windies 2018, 1st Test: Ajit Agarkar Analyzes Rajkot's Pitch

Former India all-rounder, Ajit Agarkar has analysed the situation of the Rajtok pitch where India already posted a mammoth total of 649 runs in the first innings for the loss of nine wickets.

However, the India skipper, Virat Kohli won the much-needed toss and elected to bat first. The Indian team didn’t begin well, as they lost KL  Rahul in the first over. Later, debutant Prithvi Shaw, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja completed their respective hundreds. While Ajit Agarkar feels the surface would break down and would assist the spinners in days to come.

“I dont think Virat Kohli will agree with you. He won a good toss, these are the conditions you will get in India. I can’t imagine you replicating the conditions that you get in England. The things got to start a lot quicker, on the third day onwards or maybe late in day 2; the conditions favoured the ball to spin. That’s the way it generally has been, and we saw one-sided yesterday. It was hard work for the bowlers but most founded batsman quite easy to bat on.” Ajit Agarkar said.

Meanwhile, Agarkar feels India didn’t get some good pitch in the last four or five years. The ball turns from the very first session and thereafter the conditions will remain the same as it used to be.

“You know over the last I mean India gets some bad pitches in the last four or five years, where the ball spun from the first ball of the first day. You want to see a little bit in the first session may be a session and a half for the quicks, and then the natural sort of the nature of Indian pitches will take over.” Agarker added.

Moreover, Rajkot always used to be a flat pitch. Ajit Agarkar feels the surface always remains underprepared. In addition to that, there are some opportunities to make the ball bounce in the Mumbai pitch. It was instead a red soil and makes easy for pacers as well as spinners.

“Rajkot is traditionally being very very flat. There is no, I haven’t seen a pitch in Rajkot where it’s been underprepared. The surfaces in Mumbai is red soil, you will get a natural bounce, whether it’s for spin or little bit for pace bowlers as well. But in general, in India, you will get the flat pitch. SG balls are pretty good and have pronounced seam as well, maybe not doesn’t stay as hard as Dukes stays for longer.” Ajit Agarkar concluded.

Ajit Agarkar also includes about the variations of SG and Dukes ball. Dukes used to stay hard for a long time rather than the SG balls and also has some good seam position in it.