'We would be looking to play on wickets that offer both to the batsmen and to the bowlers.'
India Test captain Shubman Gill indicated that the team is moving away from its preference for rank turners in home Test matches and would looking to play on sporting tracks that "offer assistance to both batters and bowlers".
Gill said the team might be tempted to field a third seamer in the opening Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, given that the series opener could be played a green pitch.
"I can't really speak about what were the conversations before I came (in as captain), but yes we would be looking to play on wickets that offer (help) to both the batsmen and to the bowlers," Gill said on Wednesday, on eve of the first Test.
"But having said that, I think any challenge for any team that comes to India, they know that the challenge is going to be spin and reverse swing. So keeping these challenges in mind, we would be looking to play on wickets that offer both to the batsmen and to the bowlers.
"You will get to know the combination tomorrow. Given how the weather and conditions are, we are tempted to have a third seaming option but we will take a call tomorrow," he added.
The skipper also acknowledged that some of the players, including him, got very little time to switch gears after a gruelling but title-winning Asia Cup T20 campaign that ended on Sunday in Dubai.
"We had a couple of days for the Test match, yes it was a quick turnaround. I was looking to work on getting into my zone (in the nets)," he said.
Gill and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah are among the players who joined the squad here after coming back from Dubai.
On whether Bumrah would be used sparingly to manage his workload, Gill said, "We will take a call on match to match (basis), how long a game goes and how many overs a bowler bowls. Nothing is pre-decided."
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