India Vs Australia, Super 8: Saint Lucia Pitch Talk Ahead Of T20 World Cup 2024 Blockbuster

A lot more spice has been added to the India-Australia contest here on Monday after the latter's loss to Afghanistan and the local curators feel playing three spinners would be a tad too much on what has proved to be the best batting strip in the T20 World Cup.  (Full Coverage | Cricket News)

India have been playing an extra spinner in Kuldeep Yadav since the start of the Super Eights and after picking five wickets from three games, Rohit Sharma is unlikely to bench him.

The other spin options are all-rounders Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja.

A day before the game that can potentially knock Australia out of the tournament, members of the groundstaff wanted to see Mohammed Siraj back in the side to support Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh at the expense of a spinner.

The main square has six black soil pitches and number three would be in use for the day game on Monday.

"The pitch is nice and hard, should stay the same throughout in a day game. Whichever team bats should score 180 to 200. I prefer to bat and put runs on the board. England batted poorly. The pitch got a bit tricky and the ball was not coming on," said a member of the groundstaff at the Darren Sammy Stadium.

West Indies scored 218, the highest total of the tournament thus far, in a day-night game with light dew making batting easier.

In the only day game held before, South Africa were able to defend 163 against England.

"It gets drier in a day game when the sun is out, it would be a good game tomorrow. Here we don't get much spin. We get nice bounce but not a lot of spin on this black soil pitch. I would play an extra pacer. The surface is more suited to the pacers and has consistent pace and bounce.

"Bowlers will need to bowl well else they get punished," said another member of the groundstaff.

It is to be noted that in the England-South Africa day game, the spinners did alright with Keshav Maharaj taking a couple of wickets for the Proteas.

Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali picked one each. The top dressing of the main square was done five months ago as part of World Cup preparations.

Sri Lanka had also managed to amass 201 against Netherlands here. The wind factor will be here too like it was in Barbados and Antigua.

India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said ahead of the game, "The breeze and the wind has been a factor in the last two games. So obviously, you plan certain ends. You will want any particular bowler - you've got to look at your best match-up and say which is the best end for the particular bowler.

"But it's not going to be possible every time. You still sometimes have to come and bowl from the difficult end, which Arsh did in the last game. Barbados was different when he bowled from a difficult end.

"You've got to be able to do that. It's not only possible each and every time, but you need to consider the surface, the conditions while implementing your plans."