T20 World Cup 2024 | "Quite unsure of what to expect from the pitch": Rohit Sharma

Jasprit Bumrah

India captain Rohit Sharma has been left flummoxed by the disconcerting bounce on offer at the Nassau County ground's drop-in track, but his pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was glad to find conditions that favoured bowlers ahead of the marquee T20 World Cup game against Pakistan here on Sunday.

Rohit scored 52 off 37 balls before being forced to retire hurt in the team's opening win against Ireland after a delivery from pacer Josh Little bounced a tad extra and hit him on the bicep of his right arm. "Yeah, just a little sore [the arm]. I said it at the toss as well. Quite unsure of what to expect from the pitch. Not aware on what it is to play like on a pitch that's five months old," Rohit said on Wednesday.

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But the variable bounce, which led to the ball kicking from length, did seem to bother him. "I don't think the wicket settled down even when we batted second. There was enough for the bowlers," the Indian skipper said about his pace quartet, which bowled out Ireland for 96 in 16 overs. Bumrah, who had figures of 2-6 in three overs, had no complaints with the conditions. "Coming from India, with the ball seaming around, I wouldn't complain when there's help for bowlers. In this format, you have to adapt to the conditions, you have to be proactive," he said.

"Trying to stick to the plans and trying to go back to what has worked for me. You always want to cover all the bases in these conditions. You've got to be prepared, very happy with the outing today," he added. Having brought four spinners, Rohit isn't sure if they would be required in New York at least.

ICC admits to poor pitches in New York

In the wake of criticism for the pitch in New York, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said that the authorities are working to sort out the problem. "T20 Inc and the ICC recognise that the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted.

"The world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday's game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches," the ICC said in a statement on Thursday. Meanwhile, former BCCI chief curator Daljit Singh expressed shocked at the "poor quality" of drop-in pitches.

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