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Debasis Sen, Delhi: Sri Lanka skipper Dinesh Chandimal on Friday mocked India’s claim of preparing green tracks for the ongoing series.
“If you look at the wicket (in New Delhi), I am not sure that they are preparing for South Africa,” Chandimal told reporters during the pre match conference ahead of the final Test, which starts at New Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla ground on Saturday.
“The Kolkata wicket looked like a South African wicket but not these two,” he said, referring to the pitches in Nagpur and New Delhi. Chandimal added, “They are thinking about the next series. We as a team are thinking about this series.”
Indian opener Murali Vijay though contradicted with Chandimal’s views. According to Vijay, “It is a nice wicket. It has grass and that is the whole point, the whole series that has been the pattern. We get a good experience before the South Africa tour.”
The Tamil Nadu opener was seen preparing with a wet tennis ball, so as to get used to the bouncy tracks of South Africa.
“Preparing generally, trying to do something different in my practice. Some fun in my practice it challenges me, try to be better each and every day if possible. That is the whole concept of doing that,” said Vijay about the special preparation.
The visitors trail the three-match series 1-0 after suffering a record innings and 239-run defeat in the previous match in Nagpur. The first Test in Kolkata ended in a draw. India’s team management says they have laid out fast-paced pitches to prepare for their next challenge — a tough away Test series against South Africa in January and February.