The curator at the Ferozshah Kotla stadium in Delhi, the venue for the first one-day international between India and England on Tuesday, believes that he has produced a perfect one-day wicket.
"It is a perfect wicket for a one-day match. I think you will see scores of around 300," Ram Babu Gupta said on Monday.
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Daljit Singh, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's pitch committee member from North Zone, also agreed that the seamers would get help early on, but after that batsmen would enjoy.
"The pitch will not be easy in the morning for the batsmen for the first hour or so. The weather is very cold in the morning. The match will start early at 9 am so you can expect some early help. A 10 am start would have made some difference," said Singh, who oversaw the preparation of the pitch.
The pitch used for the last one-dayer at the venue, between India and Pakistan in April last year, had come in for heavy criticism.
Chasing Pakistan's huge total of 303 for 8, India were bundled out for 144 on a pitch that changed a lot in the second innings.
But Singh assured that it is a better-prepared wicket this time.
"It is a well-prepared wicket, not like the last time when we didn't have enough time to prepare the pitch. The wicket against Pakistan was just a make-up job, because we didn't have time to prepare the pitch then. But they have worked on this wicket well," he said.
Even India captain Rahul Dravid agreed that after early help for bowlers, batsmen would prosper.
"It looks like the pitch has something for the bowlers early on. It will have a bit more for the seamers early on and then it will turn out into a good batting wicket as the game goes on," Dravid said.
Singh said that while preparing a one-day wicket, every effort is made to ensure that it stays the same throughout the game, but sometimes weather plays a part.
"If it's early morning start and the conditions are cool, then bowlers will get help; you cannot help it."
