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The ICC ODI World Cup 2023 final between India and Australia is to be played on the slow batting track at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahemadabad on November 19. The pitch has once again emerged as a crucial point of discussion, especially after the comments by ICC pitch consultant Andy Atkinson.
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The New Zealand international had criticised BCCI for changing the pitch for the semifinal between India and New Zealand from a fresh to a used wicket. Since then, Atkison has been sent home as per PTI, who quoted a BCCI source on conditions of anonymity.
The BCCI source was quoted saying, "Andy's assignment is over and he has gone back. Don't try to find controversy where there is none. Nowhere it is written that ICC's pitch consultant need to be present before final."
In Atkison's absence, two senior BCCI chief of ground staff Ashish Bhowmick and Taposh Chatterjee were present in the Narendra Modi Stadium, On November 17 . Similarly, former India fast bowler and BCCI's GM (Domestic Cricket) Abbey Kuruvilla, closely observed the pitch preparations for the final.
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It hasn't been revealed whether the pitch for the final will be a used one or a fresh surface. However, the two senior curators and BCCI GM were monitoring the heavy roller used on the track for the final.
"If heavy roller is being used on a black soil strip then the idea is to create a slow batting track where you can get a big score but you possibly can't consistently hit through the line. 315 could be a defendable score as batting second will be difficult," a state association curator shared with PTI.
