One of the biggest tournament for the Indian team is the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which will be starting from November 22. The pitch at Perth is said to have plenty of pace and bounce similar to their legendary WACA grounds that had long been famous for fast-bowling conditions, and is going to welcome the much-awaited India tour of Australia beginning with the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Optus Stadium.
Optus Stadium Pitch: Fast, Bouncy, and Unpredictable
Optus Stadium head curator Isaac McDonald said he has worked assiduously to prepare a pitch that will have the traditional Perth wickets-perception of pace and bounce.
“This is Australia, this is Perth… I’m setting ourselves up for really good pace, really good bounce and really good carry. In a perfect world, I want to emulate last year,” Isaac McDonald told ESPNcricinfo.
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Previous Test At Optus Stadium
The last Test at Optus Stadium, where it played against Pakistan, witnessed a pitch that deteriorated considerably to the extent of producing cracks and caused unpredictable bounce and low skidding deliveries. Australian bowlers heavily reliant on their prized pace attacked bowled Pakistan out for only 89 runs in their second innings. The two principal batters for the Australians, Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja were hit numerous times due to this difficult surface, and Labuschagne went to say that it was one of the toughest pitches he ever faced.
Will India’s Fast-Bowling Lineup Flourish In Perth?
The Indian fast bowling may be the best suited to face the searing conditions in Perth. But with no practice game to prepare themselves for the fast, bouncy pitch will leave India’s bowlers in pressure to adjust to the conditions. So the test match would be a severe test for India to handle the conditions and gain a strong foothold in the series. But India will rely on its pacer force, with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana and Akashdeep representing India’s fast-bowling lineup to produce at one of the world’s toughest cricketing venues.
The Perth contest, without a practice match, presents a challenging situation for India as they face Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. They face a very tough first match on November 22 in Perth. The fast and bouncy conditions provide for very interesting cricket, but India will have to make their way with both the bat and the ball to offset that really tough surface.
