The much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 series will begin at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Thursday, February 9. Ahead of the first Test, the pitch at Nagpur has sparked a lot of debate on social media.
Photos have surfaced claiming that the curators are preparing a pitch that will favor India more than Australia. Australian fans have pointed out how the pitch may not favor their left-handed batters, while India's batting lineup, loaded with right-handed batters, may find it comparatively easier to bat.
The accurate pitch report for this match will only be available in the morning before the match starts. But before that, here are some vital stats and numbers you need to know from previous Tests hosted by the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
Vidarbha Cricket Association, Nagpur Test Records & stats
Test matches played: 6
Matches won by India: 4
Matches won by away teams: 1
Matches Tied: 0
Matches Drawn: 1
Highest individual score: 253* - Hashim Amla (SA) vs. India, 2010.
Best bowling figures (innings): 8/215 - Jason Krejza (AUS) vs. India, 2008.
Best bowling figures (match): 12/98 - Ravichandran Ashwin (IND) vs. South Africa, 2015.
Highest team score: 610/6 dec. - India vs. Sri Lanka, 2017.
Lowest team score: 79 - South Africa vs. India, 2015.
Average first-innings score: 324
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium Pitch Report
The pitch at the VCA Stadium assists the batters and the spinners. In the previous game on this ground, India posted a mammoth score of 610 runs in the first innings. The Indian spinners scalped the majority of the wickets that fell in the Test.
Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium last Test match
Nagpur hosted its last Test match in November 2017, where India battled against Sri Lanka. Virat Kohli's 213 and centuries from Rohit Sharma, Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara guided India to 610/6 in the first innings. Sri Lanka scored 205 & 166 and lost the match by an innings and 239 runs.
A total of 26 wickets fell in that Test, with pacers bagging nine of them. While the India vs. Sri Lanka match was one-sided, the upcoming India vs. Australia game is expected to be a close one.
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