(ICC Photo)
India experienced their first taste of cricket in New York City when they faced Bangladesh in their sole warm-up match for the T20 World Cup at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. Before the June 1 game, the venue was untested, presenting several challenges for Rohit Sharma and his team. Early in the match, the drop-in pitch exhibited inconsistent behavior, with some deliveries unexpectedly bouncing from a good-length area.
Rahul Dravid, who had only seen the pitch once before the game, described it as “spongy.” Despite this, the batters managed to post an above-par total. The head coach is now focusing on preparations for their tournament opener against Ireland at the same venue.
“A little bit spongy (pitch) at times but I thought we coped really well. The batters had put an above-par score on that wicket and the bowlers came out and bowled really well. All in all, we got run-around and to get a game here is really nice. Hopefully, we can prepare well for the next couple of days and be ready,” says Dravid in a video posted by BCCI.tv.
Beyond the pitch, it was the outfield that drew significant scrutiny, with the ball failing to travel as expected. On several occasions, throws resulted in puffs of dust or sand upon contact with the field. Fielders noted that the outfield felt soft, necessitating extra caution from all players as it puts additional strain on the hamstrings and calves.
“It’s great to get a good hit-out. Obviously, it looks like a good facility in terms of as quickly as they have put up. The ground is a bit soft and the guys could feel that on the hamstring and the calves. So, that’s the area we need to ensure that we are working around and ensuring that the guys are looking after does feel a little bit heavy underneath,” says Dravid.
Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Dube echoed Dravid’s observations about the outfield and expressed concerns about adapting to the conditions and finding their rhythm in the three upcoming fixtures, particularly the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match, which is scheduled to take place at the modular venue.
“Rushed venue”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) faced challenges in finding a suitable venue in or around New York to host World Cup matches. The option of Nassau County emerged only in August last year, and it took several more months to finalize the formalities. Actual work on the site began in February this year, just three months before teams were due to arrive for their World Cup preparations.
Drop-in pitches were installed only in May, and according to an experienced curator, they didn’t have enough time to properly settle. It appears that the time constraints also prevented thorough testing by the global body, resulting in a race against the clock to get everything ready.
“At least more than a month is needed for the pitch to settle in. Drop-in pitches have become a big hit these days but they need to be placed with utmost care and need some time, and thorough testing. After a month of placement, some testing – the bounce test, firmness test, and moisture test needs to be done during different times of the day. New York venue clearly didn’t have time for all that,” says a curator who has been preparing pitches and outfields for more than a decade now.
Beyond the pitch, the outfield appears particularly unsettled. The ground, being a sand-based facility, is preferred for its drainage properties. However, due to time constraints, it didn’t have sufficient time to prepare adequately.
“That was the only reason why there was a puff of dust and sand when throws landed. It clearly hasn’t settled down and will not improve. There could be some issues with levelling as well but what I feel is that the sand didn’t get time to settle and the grass placed didn’t blend in properly. That’s the reason the ground feels soft. It takes at least six months for an outfield to settle down and be safe and injury-free for cricketers,” adds the curator.
India must adapt to the conditions they encounter, but the ICC could have done a better job ensuring that top cricketers play in venues that are fully prepared and safe for international matches.
