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India captain Rohit Sharma has raised the prospect of the fourth and final Test against Australia being played on a green pitch to allow the hosts to prepare for the World Test Championship final.
Sharma’s surprising admission came ahead of the third Test in Indore, starting on Wednesday, as India attempt to go 3-0 up in the series.
If India again defeat Australia, they will guarantee their place in the WTC final, to be played at Lord’s on June 18-23.
A green-top favouring fast bowlers in Ahmedabad would be a stunning reversal after the first two Tests were played on heavily curated turning pitches in Nagpur and Delhi to suit India’s star spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin.
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Australia are expecting the third Test at Holkar Stadium to again heavily favour spin bowling.
Mitchell Swepson and Todd Murphy inspect the pitch at Holkar Stadium in Indore. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
“There is definitely a possibility of that, we’ve spoken about it,” Sharma said on Tuesday when asked about the Ahmedabad Test being played on a green pitch.
“We need to get the guys ready for it (WTC final) as well. That thought process is definitely there.
“If we do what we do here and we get the result we want, we might kick off doing something different in Ahmedabad.”
It would not be the first time India have demanded curators prepare green pitches to ready themselves for foreign conditions.
In 2017, Virat Kohli confirmed reports team management had ordered fast pitches for Tests against Sri Lanka in Kolkata and Nagpur ahead of a crucial series in South Africa.
Australia and India will almost certainly meet in the WTC final in England, with the tourists to only miss out on a spot in the decider if they are whitewashed 4-0 and Sri Lanka win 2-0 in New Zealand.
“Both teams will be neutrals,” Sharma said. “It’s going to be exciting, no home advantage, no conditions advantage. India has played a lot of cricket in England over the last few years, Australia has played a lot of cricket there.
“It’s not going to be alien conditions as such for both teams, so it will be a good contest between the teams whoever the two teams are.”
Acting Australia captain Steve Smith did his pre-game press conference about 30 minutes after Sharma and was unaware of India’s cheeky planning.
“Yeah, that’s the first I’ve heard of it,” a smiling Smith said. “I guess we’ll wait and see. Hopefully we don’t let them get the job done here. We’ll see what happens from there after this Test.”
In selection news, India are on the verge of replacing KL Rahul with young gun Shubman Gill after formally stripping the opener of the vice-captaincy.
Gill is viewed by Indian fans as one of the next great batters, starring in white-ball cricket and making an impressive Test debut in Australia during the 2020-21 series.
The 23-year-old batted in the nets by Sharma’s side during Tuesday’s training session at Holkar Stadium in Indore ahead of the third Test, starting on Wednesday.
KL Rahul. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Sharma failed to confirm Rahul’s position in the XI but did announce he was no longer vice-captain. When India listed their squads for the third and fourth Tests last week, Rahul wasn’t listed as vice-captain, but the BCCI did not immediately specify if that was intentional or a mistake.
“Being vice-captain or not being vice-captain doesn’t actually tell you anything,” Sharma said on Tuesday. “His removal of vice-captain doesn’t indicate anything.
“All 17-18 (players) are in reckoning, it’s not just about Gill or Rahul or someone else but all the players who are there are all in the reckoning.
“As far as our XI is concerned we’ve not yet finalised on it. I would like to do it at the toss and I prefer it to be announced at that point in time because last-minute injuries and all those things happen so we will keep it a little interesting for you guys (the media) as well.”
After India’s second-Test triumph in Delhi, Sharma was resolute in his support of Rahul. He used similar lines when talking about Rahul on Tuesday.
“I said it after the last game as well that when we talk about players going through a tough time, anyone with potential will be given enough time to prove themselves,” Sharma said.
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