Indian Team Management Unhappy With Practice Pitches In South Africa

The Indian cricket team is not at all happy with the practice pitches provided to them in South Africa, a report in India Today suggests.

As a result of it, the team management has asked for two new pitches. The ongoing practice sessions of the team is the only way for the side to prepare ahead of the international fixtures. The players would want to assimilate to the conditions as soon as possible but there quest seems to be unfulfilled yet.

The team management had already cancelled the only practice game against South Africa Invitation’s XI, which further raises the importance of these practice sessions. Surely, the players and team management would not want any glitch in the practice session as any incomplete task here can have a big result on the series.

The dedication of team India can be judged by the fact that the team management decided to carry four extra pacers to South Africa – probably the first time in history. Meanwhile, it was already confirmed that Shikhar Dhawan would not play the first Test of the series. KL Rahul and Murali Vijay will open the innings in the first Test.

Dhawan is expected to be fit for the second Test and in case he fails to get fit for that game as well, then the team management will be forced to call in a replacement. Abhinav Mukund, Faiz Fazal and a surprise in form of Gautam Gambhir are expected to be considered if Dhawan is unfit for the full series.

The first Test match series starts on January 5. A six match ODI series and three match T20I series will follow the longer format contests. Indian team hasn’t won any Test series in South Africa in past.

Indian skipper, Virat Kohli will have to rewrite the history to defeat South Africa in South Africa. The last time these two teams played a Test series, it was the Indian team that won the series played in India in the year 2015.