Cameron Green race watch for the second test against India

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On that occasion, 22 of the 25 wickets captured by bowlers came on the spin, including 13 for spin wizard Ashwin, who ruined Australia’s second inning at Nagpur.

The cold weather in Dharamshala, where temperatures drop into the single digits at night, would have made it difficult for curators to cultivate a dry, skid-friendly surface.

In the decider there in 2017, speedster Umesh Yadav turned the game around with a new ball for India. Then-captain Steve Smith wrote positively about the pitch in his autobiography, published later that year, saying the pitch had pace and bounce and was the “best pitch of them all”.

The BCCI said the game was moved from Dharamsala because of concerns about the condition of the outfield, which was relocated last year to fit a new drainage system. Recent fog in the city, which sits at an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,451 meters) and where February temperatures regularly drop, meant sunlight wasn’t sufficient for grass to grow.

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“Due to the harsh winter conditions in the region, the outfield lacks sufficient grass density and will take some time to fully develop,” BCCI Secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.

Paceman Scott Boland is expected to make way for speedy senior Mitchell Starc in Delhi, although he made a strong case for retention after an impressive if bumpy performance in the first Test in difficult conditions for the sailors.

Australia were at their most menacing when Boland bowled alongside Todd Murphy, who capitalized on the Victorian icon’s stinginess to snag seven wickets on the debut.

Boland knows three fast bowlers won’t fit in two berths, and impressive as his 28 wickets at 13 was, it’s no match for a 300-club member’s record.

“I felt like I bowled well, but when you bring someone like Mitchell Starc, who’s a weapon in these conditions and bowled really well in Sri Lanka and Pakistan, I hope I made the selectors’ job a little harder than.” what it was originally,” Boland said.

“Of course I want to play. I enjoyed the challenge of bowling in these varied conditions. I just have to make the selectors work as hard as possible to get someone in.

“I don’t think we’re going to play three fast bowlers. I guess there will only be two places available.”

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