08 October 2023 , 19:39
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England have admitted they will need to show how clever they can be in both innings if they are to get their World Cup campaign up and running in the mountains.
The defending champions are desperate for a strong response against Bangladesh on Tuesday after being humbled by the Kiwis first time around, but the challenge is far from straightforward.
The outfield in Dharamshala is so full of sand that their fielders need to be smart enough not to throw themselves around in quite the same way that they are used to in case of injury.
Former England batter, now Afghanistan coach, Jonathan Trott saw Mujeeb ur Rahman’s knee get caught in the turf in the first game there on Saturday and has been warning his old team-mates.
It is why, despite spending half an hour in the nets batting and getting through some light running, Ben Stokes is still set to sit the game out with the turf so unstable.
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The ICC have insisted that the venue is good enough to play on, but Jonny Bairstow reckons the players will need to be smart.
“There’s been a lot of chat about it,” said Bairstow who will collect his 100th ODI cap on Tuesday. “It’s just about being clever and smart about it.
“The last thing you want is two guys going off with knee injuries or something. It can contribute to shoulders as well, if you’re diving and your elbows get stuck in the ground.
“It will be very difficult to hold someone back if they see a ball and they try to stop it – it's a natural reaction to go for it. It might just be a case of boxing a bit clever.”
Having walked across the turf, Bairstow thought back to the abandoned game in Antigua in 2009 over a sandy outfield, but the ICC and former India bowler turned match referee Javagal Srinath are happy.
An ICC spokesperson said: “The outfield at Dharamsala was rated as average after the Afghanistan v Bangladesh match.
“Additionally, the ICC independent pitch consultant has taken a look at the outfield today and is comfortable with the conditions as is Javagal Srinath, the Match Referee for the next game."
A return to sparkling batting form is what England are looking for and Bairstow can help set that tone at the top of the order where he would love to bring up two hundreds in the same day.
“To be playing my 100th game in India at a World Cup having won it in 2019 is something I’m immensely proud of,” he added. “And I'm happy with where my game’s at.
“We’re focused on ourselves and we’ll go at it in a way that hopefully suits us, but pitches are different at each venue and you’ve got to be smart enough to adapt to it.”
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