Apart from Delhi’s ‘hazardous’ pollution, the Ferozeshah Kotla pitch will also be in focus. During the last IPL, the square came in for sharp criticism because it was too sluggish and too small. But, after intensive repairs and renovation work during the off-season, the pitch looks a little different.
To elevate the square above the outfield, fresh soil was added. Former Chief of the BCCI’s grounds and pitches committee, Daljit Singh, had told that an elevated surface will help to derive better bounce from it. Ankit Datta, a curator for the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), prepared the center pitch for Sunday’s match.
“The pitch has a fair bit of grass and looks that the ball should come on to the bat nicely,” Bangladesh captain said.
The Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said: “We will decide if we want to go with a seamer-heavy attack if the pitch has grass on it or else we will go with more spinners.”
Moreover, the match referee is concerned about the visibility inside the stadium.
“The visibility dipped in the evening even with the lights on. The structure of the stadium is such that the smog or fog settles in with little ventilation. The match referee has asked the BCCI and the local groundsmen to have a person to monitor the visibility and give an hourly update on Saturday evening,” a source told.
