South Africa bowling coach Piet Botha says the pitch for the second Test in Guwahati could offer far better batting conditions than the surface seen in Kolkata, but he remains unsure whether the visible layer of grass on the Barsapara Stadium wicket will be trimmed before the match begins on Saturday. India trail 0–1 in the two-Test series after a 30-run defeat on an unpredictable Eden Gardens surface, a pitch that has sparked debate throughout the week.
Botha inspected the Guwahati wicket on Thursday and said it was too early to make firm conclusions. “As far as the pitch is concerned, obviously I had a look at it this morning, it’s still two days to go. So it’s difficult to predict if they will actually shave off more grass or not. That will obviously make a difference,” he told reporters. He said early assessments suggested a truer batting surface, though that could change depending on preparation. “What we have heard is that it seems to be a good batting track up front, and spin comes into picture late. But we’ll have to wait and see, maybe it starts earlier, and what the previous Test turned out to be,” Botha said. With play starting half an hour earlier than usual at 9 am, he expects moisture to influence the first hour. “The game’s starting at 9 o’clock… there will be a bit more moisture, so I think in terms of the first hour, the new ball should play a role. For how long, we are not sure, we’ll have to see,” he added. Botha said decisions at the toss will depend entirely on how the pitch looks on the morning of the match. “If the wicket is good to bat on, then batting first is a good option, but if the track is like the one in Kolkata, then it hardly matters,” he said. South Africa are also monitoring Kagiso Rabada, who missed the first Test with a rib injury. “Rabada has been under medical observation… we will take a call in the next 24 hours,” Botha said. Off-spinner Simon Harmer, who had a minor niggle in Kolkata, is set to play the 2nd Test.
Poll
Should South Africa bat or bowl first if the pitch is good?
The pitch discussion comes as India’s own support staff address criticism following the Kolkata defeat. Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said, “No one wanted it (pitch) to be like this,” as he defended head coach Gautam Gambhir from scrutiny over the surface. India must win in Guwahati to avoid a home series loss.
