IND Vs ENG 2nd Test: BCCI Curator Sent Off, India Team Management Gets Involved

Following the defeat in the first Test in Chennai, the Indian cricket board has removed its curator who was to oversee the pitch preparation at the MA Chidambaram Stadium for the second Test, starting

Experts believe that ideally the pitch (No. 2) for the first Test should have been used for the second and the one being used for the second (No. 5) should have been used for the first.

"The reason is that the black soil retains water, so in the three-day gap before the second Test, only 10-20 liters water can be allowed at best. Otherwise, if you put more, the surface, due to heavy clay content, will retain water. If they had used pitch No.2, the red soil one, for this game instead, then you could have given more water in the three-day gap and it would have dried easily as that soil doesn't hold water. Now, due to dryness and no water, the black soil wicket can crumble early. It can also keep low," said an official.

The former head of BCCI pitches and grounds committee, Daljeet Singh, explained the characters of different pitches.

"I cannot comment on the Chennai pitch as I am not at the venue, if you mix soils it is difficult to predict a pitch's character. Black soil has more clay content, clay particle is the smallest in soil. The more the particles, the more water it will hold. But red soil has more silt and has more wear and tear as it gets dried and breaks easily for a spin. It doesn't hold water," he said, explaining the science of pitch making.

Daljeet also praised the pitch for the first Test. "It lasted five days. That is what a Test match wicket is."