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The 22 yards likely to assist spin bowlers

[caption id="attachment_39127" align="aligncenter" width="580"] India Skipper Virat Kohli and Coach Anil Kumble during the pitch inspection at Ranchi on Tuesday. Image Source: XtraTime[/caption] Debasis Sen, Ranchi: The wicket at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) Stadium seems to have caught the visiting Australian media by surprise, more than Steve Smith and his team. The photos of the 22 yards are uploaded everywhere by the Australian media. According to reports in some media in Australia, the wicket at Ranchi is tailor-made, designed to blunt Australia's pace weapons and dull the effect of Nathan Lyon. There were claims that Steve Smith and his team were not allowed to look at the wicket. Whereas people present here in the morning clearly seen that the Australian support staff headed by coach Darren Lehmann having a good look at the wicket with bowling coach David Saker. Later on the Indians were also allowed to have a close look at the wickets. Coach Anil Kumble was seen discussing about the wicket with batting coach Sanjay Bangar and spin twins Ashwin and Jadeja. SB Singh, the chief curator of the JSCA has reputed the charges as he claimed, “It will be a good wicket to bat on for the first couple of days, with the wicket assisting the spinners from Day 3. There were three wickets that were prepared for the maiden test match at the venue. Former India captain MS Dhoni, who hails from this part, has himself had a look at the wickets before travelling to play the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in Kolkata. The soil of the wicket has been examined by IIT Mumbai before being prepared. It is typically made of black soil which has been brought from a local barrage. According to Singh, “I had to go through an interview session with Dhoni during the months of July and August in 2015. It was kind of a pitch interview where I was asked to explain in details about the nature of the wicket.” The Australian media also claimed that the toss will be vital for the outcome of the test match. According to reports, if Steve Smith lose the toss, then Australia would be exposed to the worst conditions for the game. And that too on the first session of  Day 1. The lack of bounce will not help Lyon, and takes the fire out of Australia's speed demons Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. The mystery surrounding the pitch means Australia are no closer to finalising a replacement for Mitchell Marsh. Glenn Maxwell, Stoinis, Usman Khawaja and Ashton Agar are all in contention. Cummins, however, is guaranteed to play his first Test since his debut in Johannesburg almost 5 ago. "I feel like I have played a lot, bowled a lot of overs, a lot of times had to back up day after day and the body has been recovering really well," Cummins, who has had an unchecked run since returning in October, said to the travelling Australian media. "So, pretty much the summer has gone as well as it could have and I feel as ready as I ever have been." Cummins says he was shocked by the call-up even though selectors had left the door ajar when they named the touring party in January. "I don't think I thought it was going to happen this quickly," Cummins said. "I'd always had an eye on the Ashes next year just thinking that I had to play three or four Shield games to put my hand up for selection."