“To prepare a cricket pitch, aim for deep, even moisture (75-100mm) to a depth of 100mm, ensuring the soil is pliable and firm, like plasticine, suitable for rolling and molding.”
From the above-mentioned quote, it is quite clear that watering the pitch adequately is an important aspect of pitch preparation. On the other side, what will happen if the curator doesn’t water the pitch sufficiently? That could lead to the top layer of the soil not having enough moisture. The resultant outcome could be the pitch cracking up and offering uneven bounce.
In such a scenario, it is a given that the spinners will certainly come into play. Even pacers, who are smart enough to land the ball consistently on those indentations/cracks, will have a say. Obviously, this is said in a hypothetical sense. The context here is the sheer interest surrounding the nature of the track for the upcoming Kolkata Knight Riders’ next home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 3. This point gains even more significance in the backdrop of Ajinkya Rahane and the rest of the KKR management hoping for a track that would offer a little more assistance to the spinners.
Incidentally, Sujan Mukherjee, the chief curator at Eden Gardens, said this to RevSportz after KKR ended up losing to RCB in their own backyard, “As long as I’m here, Eden Gardens pitch will not change.” After facing huge backlash on social media platforms, he further went on to say: “There has been help for the spinners here. If we make rank turners, then it might backfire. Spectators come to the ground to watch a good entertaining cricket where there is help for everyone. There will be a bit more help for the spinners in the upcoming matches.”
What makes it even more intriguing is that the temperature in Kolkata is set to be over 35 degrees during the next week. Logically, that should help in preparing a dry surface. “Surface Evaporation, heat of the sun or and the air temperature, add in a gentle wind, you have perfect drying weather,” as observed by TurfCare blog. In the past, especially in the subcontinent, handheld blowers, helicopters, heaters and and even giant fans have been used to dry the pitch.
For now, all that the legions of KKR fans can do is deal in conjectures on whether the head curator would prepare a dry track for the home game on April 3. A couple of mainstays in KKR’s spin department too will be watching the developments with keen interest.