Cricket Update: Indian chances of utilizing home ground opportunity minimized, foreign players not alien to the conditions in India because of IPL
South African coach has predicted that India won’t have a double edge in the world cup due to home ground. Van Zyl referred his opinion with the practice the world class players would obtain while playing the Indian Premier League. The Indian play grounds, environment and conditions would be familiar to most of the world players participating in the IPL. Hence, Indian chances of utilizing the home ground opportunity have been minimized.
Similarly, with the vital experience of playing at the Indian ground would also acclimatize the leading players with the attitude of Indian crowd. South Africa coach Corrie Van Zyl felt India have lost World Cup home advantage due to the Indian Premier League. India is considered to be a difficult place for the European teams because of varying conditions. The weather conditions in subcontinent are totally different from that of Europe. With the IPL favouring the foreign players to acclimatize themselves with the alien weather of India. India is known for bustling crowds who love cricket and give equal support to all the teams displaying cricket skills. With the IPL India appears to most of the world players as their second home.
The introduction of IPL has provided them an opportunity to play plenty of cricket in India and ultimately would favour them in the forthcoming international world cup. Van Zyl’s side is starting their preparations with series of one day international matches against Zimbabwe, Pakistan and India. The South African coach is optimistic to start the preparations on a winning note against each team competing South Africa. Notwithstanding the real superb performance in the past events, luck remained wary of South African side and led them to lose many winning matches just because of the luck factor. South African coach other than preparations must prepare some spiritual aid in order to change the luck of South Africa.
South African team with their high ambitions is on way to preparation for the forth coming world cup. South African management has urged the team to take every series prior to world cup as very seriously and with a winning attitude. The focus on the series against Pakistan, India and Zimbabwe would increase the confidence of team manifold that would ultimately support during the tense World Cup matches.
South Africa is scheduled to face West Indies in their battle for the world cup as their first match. The match is scheduled to be held at Delhi with a jam packed crowd in the background.
Indian cricket conditions normally don’t favour the foreign teams. Cricket Pitches in subcontinent normally favour batsman and are normally called dead pitches from the bowler’s point of view. Australian Cricket Captain Ricky Ponting also raised his apprehensions on playing in India prior to the Ashes series. In a statement issued by Ricky Ponting, he urged team mates to prepare well and to exhibit best performance in the matches. However, his concerns for the utility of playing in India are very well founded. With the two contrasting views of South African coach and the Australian Captain on playing in India, the fact remains the same that it is the performance in the ground at the required time that would determine the real course of game. Indian cricket management must prepare cricket pitches in compatible with the international standards in order to experience the real taste of cricket competitions rather than one sided matches.
Hence the curators must be briefed to prepare pitches that favour both Batsmen and the bowlers as well. South African team with their world cup preparations in India needs to concentrate on the conditions that surround the subcontinent. The Australian captain’s statement on the contrary reflects his consciousness about the Ashes rather than the world cup in mind. Ricky Ponting is desperate to seek revenge from England and his earlier claim to white wash England reflects his consciousness about the series.