The Australia vs India Border Gavaskar Trophy will get underway in Perth From Friday, November 22nd. The match will be played at Optus Stadium in Perth with Jasprit Bumrah leading Team India, while Australia will be led by Pat Cummins. The wicket in Perth is known for his bounce and pace which can rattle any batsmen.
Head curator Isaac McDonald said that he does not expect the pitch to produce excessive bounce or cracks over the five days due to which Snake Cracks are unlikely to appear. However what exactly are snake cracks
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What are Snake Cracks?
Snake cracks are extremely famous in Perth. The old ground at WACA used to be known for its pace and bounce, and the new Optus Stadium has been quite the same. In dry conditions, the cracks on the pitch open wide, leading to extra bounce and also bringing spinners into the fold. It can open to an extent of 5 mm at times and can trouble batters in the middle.
The reason behind the non-appearance of Snake Cracks
McDonald in his statement said, “I don't think this weather is going to make this pitch fall apart. There'll be some deterioration.Grass will stand up during the game and offer that variable bounce.But in terms of big-snake WACA cracks, unfortunately, I don't think the weather's going to get us there,”.
How has Australia performed at Optus Stadium?
This will be the fifth match at the venue, with Australia having won all four games played here so far. The last time India played at this venue was during the BGT in 2017/18 when it lost by 146 runs as Nathan Lyon claimed eight wickets in the contest. Since then, Australia has defeated New Zealand, the West Indies, and Pakistan. In all four games, Australia won the toss and batted first.