India vs New Zealand 2nd Test: With hosts under pressure, pitch takes centrestage again

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PUNE: ‘Home advantage’ seems to be the rallying call ahead of the second India-New Zealand Test starting here from Thursday. Already trailing 0-1 in the three-match series, India need a win, not just in a bid to clinch the series but also to keep them in the hunt for a World Test Championship final spot.
The importance of the match could be gauged by two contrasting practice sessions on Tuesday.The visitors, who will again be without star batter Kane Williamson, had a three-hour stint in the morning. The match pitch was largely covered during this time. However, when the Indians arrived at 1:30 pm, the covers were removed and the pitch was allowed to breathe easy.

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What followed was a game of instructions to the groundsmen. Captain Rohit Sharma, coach Gautam Gambhir, MCA curator Jyotiram Phalke and BCCI curators Ashish Bhowmick and Taposh Chatterjee were the centre of attraction. First, four members of the ground staff were seen scrubbing the entire 22-yard strip, with emphasis on certain areas. The pitch already looked devoid of grass before this exercise began.
Then the grass cutter came out. Are India trying to edge the Kiwis out of the game before it begins? Or is it a simple case of utilising home conditions to the fullest?

Pant, Gill good to go; Rahul’s spot under the scanner
India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate indicated that all is well with Rishabh Pant – who injured his knee in the Bengaluru Test – and he is in a position to keep wickets too. Pant was at the centre, looking eager to play and observing the pitch closely. Ten Doeschate also said there was nothing wrong with KL Rahul’s batting form but they (the team management) “have to fit seven pieces into six spots” as recovering top-order batter Shubman Gill is “good to go” for the Pune Test.
The assistant coach also said Akash Deep was “not far off getting on the team” since he was bowling really well, and hailed Mohammed Siraj‘s quality spell in the second innings in Bengaluru. He also clarified that R Ashwin is not carrying any niggle and didn’t blame India’s spin unit for the below-par show in the first Test, reminding that there wasn’t much help from the pitch.
In a nutshell, the home team is playing their cards close to their chest regarding the likely combination and playing XI.
Ten Doeschate said, “Rest assured, we (Team India) are going to do everything in our capability to give the best assessment of that wicket. We got it slightly wrong in Bengaluru the other day. I don’t think it was a massive miss. The conditions just caught us on the back foot a little bit (choosing to bat first and getting all out 46). So you can be sure that the preparation and the assessment of the wicket is going to be as close to perfect as we can make it.”

Can’t change the wicket: Mitchell
Visiting middle-order batsman Daryl Mitchell said, “One thing we can’t do is, we can’t change the surface. It’s about reacting to what’s coming at us and adapting on the fly. As Kiwis, that’s what we pride ourselves on. We get stuck in the moment, we stay where our feet are and we stay in the present. And we can’t change the wicket. What will be, will be. But I’m sure we’ll come up with a plan and find a way to take 20 wickets and score a few runs.”
The former WTC winners, who shattered India’s dreams in Southampton in 2021, experienced another high on Sunday by winning a Test in India after 36 years. Their women’s team also won the World T20 for the first time on the same day.
FROM THE DUG-OUT

Mohd Siraj has taken just 19 wickets in the 13 Tests that he has played at home.
Kuldeep Yadav has played nine of his 13 Tests at home with an average of 23.39 and a strike rate of 38.
New dad Sarfaraz Khan, who turned 27 on Tuesday, was to join the team later.