By Gaurang
November 12 2012

The ubiquitious Gujarati greeting "Kem Cho?" or "How are you?" will be politely offered to Captain Cook as he and his team take on India in three days time in the commercial center of the Western Indian State of Gujarat, Ahmedabad or Amdavad, if one goes by the fashion of renaming cities in the local vernacular. 

Cook and his team should have no reasons to worry too much, because of the historically benign nature of the pitch at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera.  Six out of eleven games there have been draws, and most recently Mahela Jayawardane found a pitch as flat if not flatter than his favorite home ground of Colombo to score a massive 275 as Sri Lanka reached 760 for 7 declared in response to India's first innings 426.  Even England's last match here has pleasant memories for the visitors, who drew the game despite a 10 wicket in the Match haul by Anil Kumble and a 5 wicket in an Innings performance by Harbhajan Singh.  And Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ohja are no Kumbe and Harbhajan, especially circa 2002.

Now to think that suddenly the curator can create a custom made square turner, without preparing a dangerously underprepared wicket is wishful thinking.  So the likely outcome will be a batting battle where both sides bowlers, both spin and pace, will be severly tested, and the batsmen on both sides, will be able to fill their boots. 

India, have talked about how they want to get some payback for the humiliation that they suffered in England in the Summer of 2011, but if they think that the pitch will help them do it, I am afraid they will be sadly mistaken.  What is needed is a concerted effort from the entire team to collectively impose their will on the visitors, and go for a win.  It will not be easy, but then this is Test cricket, and nothing should be easy.

One thing is certain is that they will have a lot of crowd support as the Gujaratis are great fans of the game, and always show up in numbers to support the Indian team.  On a side note, it is a shame that the economic capital of one of the most vibrant and prosperous states in India, has failed to be allocated an IPL team.  One wonders why this is the case? It is high time this is rectified.

But all in all when the England team leaves the City they are likely to be quite "Majama" or "In Good Spirits"...due to the hospitality and comfortable stay they are likely to have both on and off the pitch...

Cook Bhai, Kem Cho?

Discussion started by Indian Cricket Fever (IP Logged), 12/11/2012 19:26

Indian Cricket Fever
12/11/2012 19:26

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:11:20:19:08:51 by Birbal.

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choor
13/11/2012 03:57

I hope it is not a flat as a pancake wicket. Anything but that. Hopefully they can conjure up a result wicket.

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Birbal
13/11/2012 04:59

Well the one back in 2002 came close to a result... Ashley Giles took a 5 for too in that game... if the pitch is like that, it will make for a good entertaining 5 days...

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Meet_New_Mr_India
13/11/2012 17:13

Pitches are flat everywhere nowadays.. just look at the recently concluded test between Aus and SA.. the pitch should have something that creates fascinating contest between bat and ball..

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Spirit of Cricket
14/11/2012 01:14

Is it the soil, the weather, or the curator?

After so many decades of cricket and so much money being poured into the game in India, can it be that we still don't understand soil chemistry? Surely it can't be that difficult to change a pitch. They just need to dig up and re-lay 22 feet by 10 feet of the ground, not the whole stadium.

Test matches are in enough trouble without grounds like these.. BCCI is to blame for not paying to transform pitches like these, and continue to schedule international matches on them.

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choor
14/11/2012 06:10

I thought I read somewhere that the wicket was relaid at one of the grounds for this test series.

I must say I was surprised at the quality of the gabba wicket but then I recall England did put up a big score for the loss of one wicket in the 3rd innings in a high scoring game 2 years ago.

I was watching a 1984 World Series Classic ODI between Wi v AUS followed by one between Pak v Aus in Adelaide and it was a big turner. I remember when each of Australia's grounds had a level of uniqueness but those differences aren't as apparent these days. Adelaide and Sydney don't turn as much, the pace has gone out of the WACA and even the Gabba is showing signs of tiredness.

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choor
14/11/2012 06:12

In terms of soil - my understanding is that in the UAE the ICC has wickets that match conditions from all over the world and they managed this by importing soil etc. So it is possible even to experiment at FC or even club cricket with different types of pitches and then roll them out for the international level.

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Birbal
14/11/2012 16:23

The other thing I noticed at the Gabba choor was that they brought the boundaries in... WHY would you do that? With more power packed bats, and more muscular players...this seems absolutely silly...

Even compared to say 2004 when Ganguly smashed 144 on the ground the boudaries are about 15 feet shorter... pathetic...

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Birbal
17/11/2012 20:22

Despite their collapse in the first innings... seems my prediction about the Ahmedabad pitch is coming true... slow turn...which if you get in.. should be quite negotiable...

Cook bhai seems quite "Majama"...

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Birbal
19/11/2012 07:40

Personally Cook bhai "Majama" but Indian team on top... and Gujarat ka Chokra Pujara nearly 250 in the match... without being dismissed...

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Spirit of Cricket
20/11/2012 12:26

The sharp contrast between Ccok's second essay and the rest of England's batting, including Pietersen, tells me that confidence is lacking in this outfit. Maybe they wre mentally undone by seeing spinners open the bowling, and if so it was a good psychological ploy. Given the lack of assistance on that pitch for bowlers of any kind, England should be unhappy with themselves for the show they put up.

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