Groundstaff mowed and softly rolled the Galle pitch less than two hours after India head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak inspected the surface during Sri Lanka’s closed training session on Wednesday.
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Gambhir and Kotak visited while Sri Lanka trained in the adjacent nets. The main cover was briefly removed for the India coaches and replaced after they left, according to the original report from Galle.
The groundstaff later took off the cover, made several passes along the 22-yard surface with a grass mower and used a soft roller. The pitch was exposed to the sun for a period before being covered again.
Supplemental editorial cricket visual for Galle pitch mowed and rolled after Gautam Gambhir visit.
Supplemental editorial cricket visual for Galle pitch mowed and rolled after Gautam Gambhir visit.
Pitch preparation leaves India’s bowling balance unsettled
India’s choice between an additional seamer and an additional spinner remains open because the final condition of the Galle surface will influence the playing XI.
The team management has previously considered first-day conditions when deciding its bowling combination. Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar remain seam options if the pitch does not show clear signs of offering immediate turn.
India must choose its specialists without Washington Sundar or seam-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy available to provide additional balance. Saransh Jain remains part of the spin discussion, while Kuldeep Yadav offers a wicket-taking option in the absence of injured fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
Supplemental editorial cricket visual for Galle pitch mowed and rolled after Gautam Gambhir visit.
Rain forecast adds another factor before the Test
Weather conditions could also affect India’s selection and preparation after Galle experienced short but strong spells of rain following the team’s arrival.
Wednesday brought clearer and sunnier weather, although rain was forecast for the following week. India did not train on August 11 or 12 and was scheduled to begin its Galle practice at 10am on Thursday.
India arrived after a training block in Colombo that included three high-intensity sessions and a three-day warm-up. The final day featured match simulation at the NCC Ground, where the batters and bowlers completed their main preparation before moving to Galle.
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