The four-day practice match that Team India was scheduled to play against county side Essex has been reduced to three days because of the condition of the pitch and the outfield, both of which apparently left the visitors unhappy and threw their preparations for the Test series against England haywire.
However, an Essex county representative stated that the Indian team “were happy with practice facilities”, attributing the reduction on the hot conditions owing to the current heat wave in the United Kingdom. When asked about the rugged outfield, and whether that could have been a reason to reduce the game, the representative declined to comment any further.
The county’s statement read: “Essex Cricket and the England & Wales Cricket Board have today agreed, at the request of the BCCI Management Team, that the scheduled Tourist match between Essex and India will now be played over three days.”
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Team India decided to shorten the match after having a look at the pitch after the afternoon’s net practice session. Even the Indian coach Ravi Shastri was seen having an animated discussion with the local officials after getting a glimpse of the green pitch and a dry outfield that can cause injury while fielding.
A senior member of the ground staff spoke with PTI at the end of it all on condition of anonymity, he said, “We have bent over backward to accommodate the Indian team management’s demands. It is disappointing though because we had sold a lot of tickets for the fourth day (Saturday).”
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Another reason for Team India’s displeasure was that the two nets’ pitches were completely bald in comparison to the match wicket, which had a healthy green top. A grassy wicket, along with a dry outfield, in a non-first-class game against Essex is hardly the best preparation ahead of the first Test.
In turn, this poses a question mark over the world number one side’s preparations for the upcoming five-match Test series.
