The Border-Gavaskar Trophy has seen the playing surfaces attract far more attention than the performance of players and that trend continued on the eve of the series deciding fourth Test in Ahmedabad, which begins on Thursday.
Australia bounced back in style in the Indore Test to make it 2-1 with a nine-wicket win inside three days on a raging turner in Indore, sealing a spot in the World Test Championships final and putting the pressure back on India.
The hosts will now be wary of exposing their batsmen to more trial by spin against Nathan Lyon and Co, while pursuing victory at the 132,000 capacity Narendra Modi Stadium, which would hand them a ticket to the showpiece event in June.
The intrigue surrounding the pitch refused to die down before the final Test, with the ground curator preparing two adjacent pitches simultaneously in the build-up to the game.
It was only when Australia and India began their final training session on Wednesday that the mystery was finally over.
Australia's stand-in captain Steve Smith said he had never experienced such mystery around a match pitch.
"Yeah rocked up today and there was only one covered so yeah looks like they have chosen," said Smith.
"Looks like probably of the four wickets we've seen so far, potentially the flattest on day one. Having said that, it's I think 38 degrees out there at the moment, it's pretty hot. Looks like it'll dry out as the day goes on."
Smith will lead Australia again in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins, who flew home after the second match in Delhi to be with his ailing mother in Sydney.
India retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with back-to-back wins in Nagpur and Delhi but Smith says levelling the series would feel like victory.
"It'd be a huge achievement for the group, or any touring team that comes here to India and wins two Test matches," Smith said.
The largest attendance for a single day of Test cricket is 91,112 – a record set during the fourth game between Australia and England in Melbourne during the 2013-14 Ashes series.
That could be broken on Thursday when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese attend the opening hour of play.
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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New schools in Dubai
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ARABIAN GULF LEAGUE FIXTURES
Thursday, September 21
Al Dahfra v Sharjah (kick-off 5.35pm)
Al Wasl v Emirates (8.30pm)
Friday, September 22
Dibba v Al Jazira (5.25pm)
Al Nasr v Al Wahda (8.30pm)
Saturday, September 23
Hatta v Al Ain (5.25pm)
Ajman v Shabab Al Ahli (8.30pm)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
