Conditions and pitch will dictate India’s playing XI: Nayar

KANPUR: India remains undecided on playing three spinners in second Test against Bangladesh with assistant coach Abhishek Nayar saying that the nature of the pitch and overhead conditions on the morning of the match will influence the decision-making.

Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association has prepared two pitches for the game beginning here on Thursday.

Skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir had a look at the two pitches during the optional training session on the eve of the match at Green Park Stadium.

Rain is predicted on the opening day as well as day three. India had played two spinners and three pacers in Chennai.

If India opts to play three spinners in Kanpur, the extra spinner could be either Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav. Asked if Kuldeep will get to play at home, Nayar was non-committal.

“I don’t know which surface we are going to play on yet. Both the pitches look pretty good. Kanpur is often known to have good pitches. I am not sure about the bounce yet,” Nayar said during the pre-match press conference on Thursday.

“With the conditions and the forecast, it is going to be interesting, when we turn up in the morning, how the conditions are. A lot will depend on that because as you know in Test wicket, conditions can be a huge factor in how the pitch plays.

“It is too early for us to judge and decide or have any sort of thought process on the pitch or the conditions. But we are hoping we come in tomorrow (Friday) to a sunny day and not an overcast Kanpur,” he said adding that all the players are available, fit and ready to go.

KL Rahul has been around for long but has not established himself in the Test side. In 51 matches, he has scored 2901 runs, averaging 34.12.

“Sometimes it is just direction and I feel KL is someone who understands his game very well. In South Africa, he played tremendous knocks. We are very hopeful... the kind of conversation that Gautam has had and I have had with him that hopefully we can have a turnaround in KL as well.

“These things sometimes take time. But I feel the way he is batting, even in the last game, I know we did not end up giving him much of a shot in the second innings. And I am pretty sure going forward you will see the expectations and the performances that you have from him.”