After India easily thrashed Bangladesh by 60 runs in a practice match on Saturday, June 1, Rahul Dravid offered his thoughts on the pitch at the recently constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.
Essentially, the exhibition match served as a kind of yardstick for the New York stadium, which was finished in 103 days. It is made up of an Australian drop-in pitch. Head coach Virat Kohli appreciated how quickly the facilities were put up following India’s crushing victory, but he also mentioned that the softer surface caused some issues for his players’ hamstrings and calves. In order to prevent injuries, he emphasised the players needed to be cautious about this.
“Having a successful it-out is fantastic. Given how rapidly it was constructed, it appears to be a decent facility. The boys felt the slightly soft ground in their hamstrings and calves. Thus, we must make sure that we are addressing that and that the guys we are taking care of do not feel unduly burdened underneath,” Dravid stated in a video that the BCCI shared on social media.
“A little bit feisty at times, but I felt like we handled that really nicely. After the hitters had amassed a higher-than-average total on that wicket, the bowlers emerged with impressive bowling. We were given the runaround overall, and it’s great to have a game here. “Hopefully, we can adequately prepare for the upcoming few days and be prepared,” he continued.
You must have the proper rhythm because the ground is made of sand: Arshdeep Singh
Choosing to bat first, India amassed 182/5 in their 20 overs. In addition to Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya‘s daring knocks to amuse the crowd at the gorgeous setting, Rishabh Pant hit a 53 off 32 balls. Bangladesh responded by collapsing to 41/5 and then being limited to 122/9. With final figures of 2/12 and 2/13, respectively, Arshdeep Singh and Shivam Dube distinguished themselves with the ball. The two gifted cricket players discussed the difficulties of playing at the location where India will play three of their four Group A matches after the game.
“It feels fantastic and is crucial how you begin. We took early wickets and didn’t let up any runs. We also benefited from the wicket, so we kept things straightforward and yet managed to get the desired outcome. You must have a good beat because the ground is made of sand. Getting used to the conditions here is going to be difficult. We are adapting incredibly well because everyone showed up for the morning practice sessions and gave it their all. We can also see this on the pitch, where we played well as a team, and the outcome was pleasing’, added Arshdeep.
Also read: Arshdeep, Hardik, and Pant lead India’s warm-up victory
“Playing here was enjoyable, and it felt good to win our first warm-up game,” Dube remarked. It’s clearly well-built. However, the players face a challenge. It is not simple. In order for us to be prepared for the T20 World Cup, the warm-up match is crucial. We had a good notion from playing today, which was a different experience, because it was necessary to get used to in the batting, bowling, and fielding.”
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