Perth: “Haven’t you got a mail to shave off the pitch?” — senior batsman Rahul Dravid asked the curator as the Indians assembled for their first practice session at the famed WACA ground ahead of the do-or-die third cricket Test aga inst Australia starting on Friday.
WACA curator Cameron Sutherland has stated that the world’s fastest pitch is likely to stay true to its nature and be a pacer’s delight come Friday.
“Haven’t you got a mail to shave off the pitch?” said Dravid jocularly to Sutherland after having a look at the completely green turf which has been picked for the Test.
The reputation of the pitch has preceded the Test and the Indians, as a batting bunch, looked to have more than one worry to deal with as they put their first session together on Tuesday.
For a starter, new balls were used by both regular and net bowlers to the batsmen — possibly the first time it’s been done so on the tour.
New ball has caused the maximum damage to batting units on this tour and the WACA pitch could provide more of the same given the pace and bounce everyone is promising on the turf.
The two openers, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, were filmed from close quarters as their technique was closely monitored.
Sehwag even let a few deliveries go outside the off-stump which is an indication how the swashbuckler wishes to avoid the trap laid for him outside the off-stump.
Another noticeable aspect of the nets was the time Sachin Tendulkar spent with Ishant Sharma in trying to sort out his bowling technique for the Australian wickets.
Tendulkar repeatedly told the youngster to let his bowling arm finish by the side of his right thigh. The emphasis was to bowl deliveries which “kiss” the surface rather than hit-the-deck kind of stuff which sails past the bats harmlessly.
“You will keep bowling such stuff and batsmen will keep leaving them,” was the clear message of Tendulkar.
Dravid was keen and eager at the nets, first handling the throw-downs from Trevor Penny and then facing Ishant Sharma, bowling at full tilt at him. (PTI)