Subhayan Chakraborty at SuperSport Park in Centurion
Brian Bloy, the curator at SuperSport Park in Centurion, provided some valuable insights into the conditions that await India and South Africa in the upcoming Boxing Day Test. With a hint of spin-friendly conditions, the selection of the playing XI becomes all the more crucial for India as they aim for a maiden Test series triumph on South African soil. The prospect of rain on the first two days might lead India to consider Shardul Thakur as a fourth pace-bowling option.
Bloy, however, emphasised that the higher clay content in the Centurion pitch could result in the cracks opening up quicker, making Ravichandran Ashwin a potentially lethal option in the second innings. Interestingly, in the previous encounter at Centurion, India secured an emphatic victory, but the pacers bagged 38 out of the 40 scalps. Ashwin claimed the wickets of Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi in the second innings.
“That will be tricky because you are seeing a forecast [for rain] on Day 1 and Day 2,” said Bloy. “It looks awful. The sun is out for four days, and there will be some purchase for spinners. The pitch will offer turn and bounce. With the weather forecast, I don’t know how accurate it will be as there will be a lot of rain.”
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Bloy suggested that batting first could be challenging due to the cool weather and early morning moisture, while also highlighting the difficulty in preparing the field if the pitch remains covered for an extended period. The wicket, currently displaying a covering of green grass, poses a dilemma for India when it comes to selecting their fifth bowling option.
“The wicket is quite green, and we have got two more days,” said Bloy when asked to assess the surface. “With a bit more rolling, it would lose a bit more colour, but I am happy that there is a thin, even coverage of grass. Looks good.”
According to Bloy, a typical SuperSport Park pitch starts slower on Day 1, becomes a little softer and then gradually quickens up as the match progresses. Variable bounce also comes into play.
With a two-match series leaving almost no margin for error, India will have to get their selection of the bowling unit spot on before Boxing Day, at a venue where the conditions are seldom less than challenging.
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