India is back in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, this time against Australia at The Oval, which begins on Wednesday.
On the fifth day, India, the favorite against New Zealand in 2021 at Southampton, crumbled under pressure from New Zealand’s five-pronged pace attack on a low-scoring fast bowlers’ pitch.
India suffered by fielding three seamers in the 2021 final, despite the fact that the first day was rained out.
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However, there is no rain forecast for this week, and there hasn’t been any rain in London in three weeks. The track is bouncy and dry. It is unknown whether it will break up. In 143 years, the Oval has never hosted a test in June.
Before the crucial match, India spinner R Ashwin grabbed The Oval pitch doctor, whom he refers to as “Leez,” and engaged in a sporting conversation.
“The pitch doctor from The Oval is in charge of the surface.” “All right, tell me what you’ve got planned,” Ashwin says in a video posted to his YouTube channel.
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“Good oval pitch,” Leez says.
“You always prepare good pitches but today some of our guys got hit on the practice pitches. It bounced a lot. So is it going to be similar?,” Ashwin asked again before going on to quiz, “Can we expect a nice and bouncy Brett Lee pitch ?”
“It will be bouncy, that is one thing I can guarantee,” said Leez.