Ravichandran Ashwin recently provided fans with an account of the pitch at The Oval, where the World Test Championship (WTC) finals will be held starting this Wednesday. With India gearing up to face Australia in the final, all eyes are on the pitch. The match in England, known for favouring fast bowlers, means Australia’s already impressive seam attack could pose a significant threat to the Indian batters.
Although Josh Hazlewood was unexpectedly excluded from the Australian squad, they still have formidable bowlers like Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Michael Neser, who are equally dangerous. Moreover, Cameron Green has showcased his ability to extract pace and bounce from any surface during the recently concluded IPL.
Many had speculated that Ashwin would not feature in the final due to the conditions in England. During a conversation on Ashwin’s YouTube channel, he spoke with a person called “Leez,” known as the “pitch doctor.”
Ashwin inquired about the pitch and mentioned that some players were hit during practice. Leez asked about the bounce, to which Ashwin confirmed it had been significant. Ashwin then playfully remarked that Leez didn’t favour spin and inquired about the excitement for the final, wondering if they could expect a lively pitch similar to those associated with Brett Lee. Leez responded by guaranteeing that the pitch would indeed be bouncy.
While the challenge may seem daunting on paper, considering the form displayed by some Indian batsmen in recent months, fans can anticipate an intense battle between bat and ball.