The Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi is set to host the second Test match between Team India and the West Indies on Friday, October 10.
The curators are expecting that the pitch will help in delivering stroke play on the first two days before offering a slow run as the game proceeds.
Over the years, the Arun Jaitley Stadium`s pitch has been known for helping batsmen in the initial phase of the game, and then favouring the spinners in the match.
For this Test, however, a fresh centre strip has been prepared, and the early part of the contest is expected to be dominated by batsmen.
“The centre strip has been prepared for the Test. This is a different track from the one on which Smriti Mandhana scored a 50-ball hundred,” a BCCI source told PTI.
The source also said that the pitch would offer a slow turn from Day 3 of the second Test match.
“If West Indies bat better, then the match won`t end inside three days. The pitches would only offer turn from Day Three and that too slowish in nature,” the source added.
The pitch preparation is being supervised by local curator Ankit Datta, with senior BCCI curators Taposh Chatterjee and Ashish Bhowmick overseeing the final touches.
Known for its slow turners, the pitch will likely help batsmen at least until the afternoon session of the third day.
In the first Test match, Shubman Gill and his men emerged victorious by an innings and 140 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India`s premier all-rounder, Ravindra Jadeja, was named the `Player of the Match` for his valuable contributions. He played an unbeaten knock of 104 runs off 176 deliveries, and also claimed four wickets by conceding 54 runs in the Ahmedabad showdown.
IND vs WI 2nd Test: Full squads
India’s Test squad: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N Jagadeesan (WK), Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav.
West Indies squad: Roston Chase (C), Jomel Warrican, Kevlon Anderson, Alick Athanaze, John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope, Tevin Imlach, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre, Jayden Seales.
(With PTI Inputs)