Monday , December 23 2024

There will be an equal match in Ranchi with spin friendly pitch: Ollie Pope

England vice-captain Ollie Pope said that we will not have any problem on the turning pitch in the fourth Test as the match will be a draw as the spinners are likely to get help from the beginning of the match. All the Tests in Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Rajkot had pitches that favored spinners, fast bowlers and batsmen and the pitches in all three Tests did not favor the spinners. If the first ball spins in Ranchi, the role of the toss will become irrelevant. Often the pitch is flat at the beginning of the match but the pitch starts getting spoiled due to the footprints of the bowlers. We batted first and won the Hyderabad Test. In the remaining two, India won by batting first.

Ollie Pope said that if the ball gets turn in Ranchi, our spinners will get options to take wickets. The way we have reviewed, if the pitch is spin friendly, we will have a big advantage in the match. We have young match-winning spinners and they have bowled good spells in all three Tests. If the pitch remains spin friendly then more sweep shots and new types of shots can be seen. We know how dangerous Jadeja, Ashwin and Kuldeep prove to be on spin pitches. If the ball takes turn from the first day, our confidence will be strengthened in the fourth test and we will be successful in leveling the series.