South Africa Camp's Clear Verdict On Guwahati Wicket After Eden Garden's Drama

India will look to bounce back in the second Test of the two-match series against South Africa, starting Saturday, November 22, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The hosts suffered a shocking 30-run defeat in the first Test at Kolkata, which ended in less than three days and sparked debate over the Eden Gardens pitch. Adding to India's woes, regular captain Shubman Gill was ruled out after sustaining a severe neck injury during the first innings. His absence will be a major setback as the team seeks redemption.

Ahead of the second Test, all eyes are on the Guwahati pitch. During a media interaction, South Africa's bowling coach Piet Botha expressed curiosity about whether the Indian curators would reduce the generous grass cover on the red-soil surface.

"As far as the pitch is concerned, I had a look at it this morning. It's still two days to go, so it's difficult to predict if they will shave off more grass or not. That will obviously make a difference," Botha said.

He added that early indications suggest a good batting track initially, with spin coming into play later in the match. "But we'll have to wait and see-maybe it starts earlier, given what happened in the previous Test," he noted.
Botha also highlighted the impact of the earlier start time. With play beginning at 9 a.m.-30 minutes earlier than usual-the new ball could be crucial due to morning moisture.

"The game starts at 9 o'clock, so it will be a little cooler. Nights are quite hot, but there will be a bit more moisture. I think the first hour will be important for the new ball. For how long, we're not sure," he said.

On the toss, Botha remarked: "If the wicket is good for batting, then batting first is a good option. But if it's like Kolkata, it hardly matters."

(With PTI inputs)

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