So today I decided to check out that Narendra Modi Stadium pitch everyone’s talking about. Wanted to see with my own eyes if it’s really a batting paradise like folks say. Grabbed my kit early morning, dragged my buddy along as cameraman, and just went for it.
Getting There & First Look
Sun was already cooking everything when we arrived. Walked right up to the boundary rope – pitch looked dry and flat as a pancake, seriously. Groundsman was watering it but the surface just drank everything up fast. No green grass at all, just hard, pale brown earth. Scuffed my shoe on it – felt solid underneath, like concrete almost.
Testing the Bounce
We didn’t have an actual cricket ball handy, so we did this instead:
- Took a standard training ball
- Whacked it full force onto different spots – good length, short, full toss areas
- Filmed the bounce in slow-mo to really see
Man, that ball took off like a rocket every single time, especially on a good length. Barely any sideways wobble either. Buddy nearly got his teeth knocked out trying to field it close up.
The Batting Experiment
After lunch, the sun baked that pitch even harder. Now it was crunch time:
- Took my bat out
- Faced some local club bowlers – medium pace & spinners
- Tried shots all around the wicket
Ball came onto the bat ridiculously quick. Front foot drives? Felt like butter. Pull shots? Pinged off the middle. Even my mishits skidded to the boundary. Saw two guys playing proper club cricket nearby – both scored fifties like they were picking candy from a baby.
What Absolutely Didn’t Work
Anything clever? Useless.
- Bowled spin – ball just sat up begging to get smashed
- Tried cutters – bounced too high to threaten the stumps
- Slower balls? Didn’t grip, skidded on
Honestly felt bad for the bowlers. Spent more time fetching balls from the ropes than actually bowling.
Straight Talk For Players
Look, here’s the naked truth:
- Batters: Swing freely. Back your timing. Pitch is quick but true. Stop overthinking.
- Bowlers: Don’t waste energy trying magic deliveries. Hit that hard length consistently. Pray for cloud cover.
That pitch? It’s batting heaven on earth, period. Bowlers getting nightmares? 100% justified. Saw it, felt it, whacked it myself. Bring your big bats.
