Wankhede Stadium Pitch To Favor India's Spinners, Says Team Management

India's World Cup semi-final against New Zealand is expected for a slow-paced encounter, courtesy of the team's directive to the BCCI curators to trim most of the grass on the Wankhede Stadium's playing surface.

According to Indian Express report, the team management communicated their preference to the Wankhede curator post their game against the Netherlands in Bengaluru. As a result, the grass on the pitch has been trimmed, and the surface is expected to be slower and more spin-friendly.

Local BCCI curators, organised into an overseeing body for pitch maintenance across the country during the World Cup, took charge. Additionally, the International Cricket Council (ICC) dispatched their own experts to manage various venues throughout the tournament.

An official from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) confirmed the directive to prepare a slower track before the home team's arrival in Mumbai.

"It won't be a turning track, but the team specifically requested a slower pitch. That's why we removed most of the grass," a Indian Express quoted sources as saying.

India has a commendable track record on slow pitches at home in recent years. Prior to the World Cup, the team management had stipulated their preference for matches to be held on slower surfaces.

Head coach Rahul Dravid and captain Rohit Sharma inspected the pitch on Tuesday. Later in the day, the team management discussed post-practice session plans for applying an anti-dew chemical with the ground staff.

During the tournament, chasing has proven challenging at the Wankhede, with only one of the four games so far won by the team batting second-attributed mainly to Glenn Maxwell's exceptional performance against Afghanistan.