The pitch at the iconic Lord’s features a green-top surface that could offer some uneven bounce. The last Test played here—the World Test Championship Final—highlighted just that. The inconsistent bounce troubled both batters and slip fielders, with edges often dying short. As a result, fielders were forced to stand closer, only to be caught off guard by sharp, low catches, several of which went down.
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak reflected on his own reading of the Lord’s pitch, but emphasised how his side would not be too fazed about any sort of track.
“I think, as you said, the pitch does seem to have a bit more grass on it — as we’ve seen in the last two matches. But tomorrow, when they do the final cut — the one that happens a day before the match — only after that can we really say. And generally, the normal Lord’s pitch in Tests tends to have comparatively low scores in the first and second innings. So we can expect that there might be a bit more help for the bowlers. It could be challenging for the batsmen. But I believe it’s all about the mindset,” Kotak said at the pre-match press conference.
