'They need to be installed well in advance': Ex-BCCI curator criticizes substandard drop-in pitches in New York

A general view as flag bearers are seen on the pitch prior to the ICC Men`s T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 match between USA and Canada (Pic: AFP)

Former BCCI chief curator Daljit Singh is shocked by the "poor quality" of drop-in pitches being used for the T20 World Cup 2024 games in New York, including the ones featuring India.

India play three World Cup games in New York including the blockbuster clash against Pakistan on June 9. In their T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Ireland, uneven bounce and cracks attracted a lot of attention.

India skipper Rohit Sharma was forced off the field after being hit by a Josh Little ball that took off from length, raising concerns about the safety of the players.

"It is a poor pitch. Drop-in pitch needs to be installed well in advance. To create density, you need to play on it and use different rollers and then increase the density," Daljit, who worked with the BCCI for more than two decades, told PTI.

"It seems they just installed it without doing any of that, poor quality and preparation I would say," he said.

The ICC had transported 10 made-in-Australia drop-in pitches to New York in the first week of May. All 10 wickets, four for the main square and six practice wickets, have been prepared by Adelaide Oval curator Damian Hough.

"Installation of the pitches should have been done three months ago. The they had to increase the density with heavy rolling, light rolling, cross rolling and diagonal rolling.

"Then take a break for a few days and then repeat the same for increasing the density. it doesn't look good. There is uneven bounce, this is not an ideal pitch for T20s.

"More time should have been given to mature the pitch. It is not mature enough for the World Cup," said Daljit, also a former first-class cricketer.

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The construction at the makeshift New York facility started in January and considering the harsh winter there, it would have been difficult for the organisers to install the pitches much in advance.

Asked how he expects the wicket to play on June 9, Daljit added: "I don't how it will play there, India-Pakistan is a big game. I am certainly not okay with what I have seen so far."

The outfield too is on the slower side but Daljit doesn't find anything wrong with that.

"The outfield seems to be okay but the pitch is where the main problem is."

On May 1, the ICC had informed that 10 drop-in pitches were being prepared in Florida since late December, employing proprietary techniques honed over a decade at the Adelaide Oval.

They were later transported to New York by road via a convoy of more than 20 semi-trailer trucks.

(With agency inputs)