India batting coach Vikram Rathour has said that the Ranchi pitch is like a “typical Indian wicket” which will favor the spinners in the upcoming fourth Test against England. While pitches have attracted a lot of attention for all the wrong reasons during the Test series in India in recent years, the ongoing series turned out to be an exception.
The pitches used in the first three Tests were non-ranged and the action took place on 12 of the 15 days allotted to the three games.
The fact that Jasprit Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker of the series pretty much shows the kind of wickets that have been offered in the series so far. However, India and England could play on a spinning track in the next Test.
The pitch has already cracked and Vikram Rathour has admitted that the ball would turn in Ranchi. At the same time, he also said that he is not sure how many effects will be offered.
“Every time we play in India, there is a question mark on the field. It is a typical Indian wicket. There are cracks. It will rotate. But we are not sure how much or from when,” Vikram Rathour said in the pre-match press conference.
Vikram Rathour on Jasprit Bumrah’s unavailability:
Furthermore, Vikram Rathour also spoke about Jasprit Bumrah’s unavailability for the Ranchi Test. The fast bowler led India’s attack in the first three Tests before being rested for the next game as part of his workload management.
With 17 wickets in 3 Tests, Bumrah is currently the leading wicket-taker of the series, and losing him will be a big blow for Team India. Talking about his absence, Vikram Rathour said, “We love watching Bumrah play every match. But it is not advisable. Because of the type of workload and schedule we have, everyone felt it was best to give him a break. He was absolutely fine, but we must also take into account the workload ahead of us.”
India leads the series 2-1 and will aim to close the series by winning the fourth Test. The momentum is with the hosts after their record 434-run win in the last Test and they will look to make the most of it.
