RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesThe Indian cricket team is reportedly unhappy and concerned over the amount of grass left on the practice pitch ahead of their upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.
The tour opener, a three-day practice match against a Sri Lanka XI, is scheduled to begin Friday at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo.
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It is a venue where conditions typically assist spin bowlers. Despite that reputation, Sri Lanka Cricket chose to retain grass cover on the surface for this particular fixture, a call that didn't sit well with the visiting Indian team, according to a report by Revsportz.
NCC Ground pitch report: Is it a batting or bowling track?
The NCC Ground usually offers a pitch which supports the slowers.
However, NCC official A. Francke insisted the surface would serve as a solid pitch for the three-day contest, and believes that the eventual outcome would come down largely to how both teams choose to approach the game rather than any inherent bias in the wicket itself.
"Our wicket may help the spinners on the second day or third day. But I will suggest anybody who wins the toss here to bat first. We always prepare good and fair wickets," he said in an interview with Revsportz .
Will Sri Lanka roll out a green wicket for the warm-up game against India?
Francke acknowledged that the Indian team had flagged concerns over excess grass but explained that leaving some grass cover is standard practice for a three-day fixture.
"The Indian team said that there is too much grass on the wicket, but that is how we keep it because it is a three-day game," he said.
"You can't give a wicket without grass. Other than that, they were happy with it. The wicket we have given is a good wicket, so I can't tell whether it will favor any team. It depends on how they play."
He clarified that the decision to retain grass on the pitch actually came directly from Sri Lanka Cricket's request.
"The tinge of grass has been requested by Sri Lanka cricket, so we will keep it like that. Maybe conditions will change, but normally NCC wickets are good batting tracks," he revealed.
He is hopeful that this contest will produce plenty of runs, offering India's batters valuable time in the middle before the series proper begins in Galle.
"We are hoping that there will be high scores here. But the Indian batters can have good practice here before they go to Galle," he said.
How to watch India warm-up game in Sri Lanka: Live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch India's warm-up game in Sri Lanka live in India:
TV channel: NA
Live streaming: FanCode
While there is no confirmed TV telecast for the series in India, fans can live stream the action through FanCode app and website.
India warm-up game in Sri Lanka start time
The practice match between Sri Lanka Cricket XI and India will be played at Nondescripts Cricket Club (NCC) Ground in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Live action is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. local time (SLST), which translates to 10:00 a.m. IST on Friday, August 7 for viewers in India .
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