BGT 2024-25: "Fast and bouncy.." Perth pitch curator fires warning to India ahead of 1st test

BGT 2024-25 will begin with the first test in Perth from 22nd November.

The Optus Stadium in Perth is ready to host the first test between Australia and India of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. The match will start on November 22 and the pitch curator of the ground has fired a warning to the visiting team about the bouncy nature of the pitch.

The five-match test series between Australia and India will be the first time since 1991-92 that the two teams engage in a test series of more than 3 or 4 matches.

The Indian contingent has arrived in Australia and will be practicing at the WACA ground in Perth, just near the venue of the first test in Optus Stadium. India have opted for center wicket practice in match simulations and shelved their practice match against India A citing injury concerns.

However, they are possibly in for a rude awakening coming off from spin-friendly conditions at home as the drop-in pitches in Optus stadium are expected to test the best of the Indian batters.

After being carefully planned since September, the drop-in pitch for the series-opener test, which begins on November 22, was relocated to the playing field at Optus Stadium last month. Similar to the surfaces at the WACA, where pitches have been very spicy to begin the Sheffield Shield season, it has the same native clay and grass species.

“This is Australia, this is Perth”- Perth Stadium curator warns India

The upcoming test will only be the fifth match to be hosted by the 60,000-capacity Burswood stadium and the pitch curator Isaac McDonald has confirmed that the pitch will be spicy, pacy, and bouncy for the first Test.

“This is Australia, this is Perth… I’m setting ourselves up for really good pace, really good bounce, and really good carry. In a perfect world, I want to emulate last year,” WA Cricket head curator Isaac McDonald told ESPNcricinfo.

The pitch for the first test will be different from the one on which Australia and Pakistan recently played an ODI. McDonald was also under pressure after last year’s test between Australia and West Indies produced some dull cricket due to a sedate pitch.

“Every wicket you make is conditions-based. You’ve got to back yourself with the conditions and make educated guesses around your moisture content and how much rolling to do. It’s a juggling act but hopefully the match gets into day five or the last session of day four like last year. If we can get some nice cracks forming later in the game…the game takes care of itself,” the curator added.

India will face a stern test at the Optus Perth stadium, who played the very first test on this venue in 2018 and lost by 140 runs.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.