Got to DY Patil Stadium crazy early today, like before most folks even finish their morning chai. Wanted to actually see how these wickets everyone talks about get prepped. Heard all sorts of stuff, figured seeing is believing, right?
First Look? Total Mess.
Walked over to the centre square. Pitch looked worse than my backyard after monsoon season. Patchy grass, some bits bald as an egg, other bits weirdly thick. Soil felt super hard underfoot, like walking on a poorly made brick. Groundsmen were already running around like headless chickens dragging stuff:
- Huge rollers that looked like they weighed more than my truck.
- Watering cans the size of bathtubs.
- Big canvas sheets piled up near the boundary ropes.
- Strange tools I couldn’t even name, pointy metal things mostly.
The Rolling Ritual
Watched this one dude drive a heavy roller back and forth over the pitch. Not once, not twice, but for what felt like forever. Seriously, it was monotonous. Heard snippets of the head groundsman yelling things like “More weight on this end!” and “Slower pass here!”. Made me realize it ain’t just pushing a roller, it’s about pressure and how many times you go over each spot. They roll different parts different amounts. Some areas got the light roller treatment later. It was precise, almost obsessive. Whole thing seemed aimed at making the surface rock hard.
The Watering Game
Then came the water brigade. Guys lugging those massive cans, carefully dribbling water over specific strips of the pitch. Not drenching it, oh no. Just sprinkling enough to darken the soil. They were super picky about which areas got watered and how much. Saw one guy get scolded for pouring too much in one spot near the bowler’s landing area. Head guy kept feeling the dampness with his hand, muttering things like “Too dry here” and “Ease up there”. Felt like watching chefs seasoning a dish – a sprinkle here, a dash there.
Covering Up & Sun Soaking
Right after watering, the cover crew jumped in. They flapped out those giant canvas sheets like pros, tucking them tight over the entire pitch. Left it covered up for maybe 30 minutes? Then, wham!, off came the covers to let the sun hit it. It steamed slightly. Point seemed to be trapping the moisture underneath to help the pitch firm up hard, but not crack. Saw guys poking the surface with keys later, checking the hardness. Looked back and forth constantly between the pitch and the sun. Timing felt crucial.
The Sweeping & Marking
Towards the end, they brought out big push brooms. Swept every last bit of loose soil and grass clippings off the surface, leaving it stupidly clean and smooth. Then came the string lines and the spray paint. Measured it all out like surgeons – popping crease, bowling crease, all neat and straight. Painted the lines bright white. Pitch suddenly looked official, like a proper battle ground ready for the IPL warriors.
What About Those Scores?
While chatting with one of the older groundsmen (who finally had a smoke break), asked him about the scores everyone argues about. He just shrugged and laughed a little. Said it changes every single game, year to year. Pitched it near the River End? Pitched it near the Pavilion? Massive difference. And the weather? Hotter than usual? Unexpected shower? All bets off. He reckons folks forget how much the preparation itself changes things based on who’s playing, what kind of match it is, even the time of day. Makes those “average score” stats feel kinda pointless when you see how much fiddling happens before each game. It’s a living thing, not a number.
Honestly? Went in thinking it was just about cutting grass and watering dirt. Came out realizing it’s an endless, messy, super detailed dance. Sun, soil, water, rollers, paint, constant checking, constant adjusting… and then they do it all again next week. Mad respect for the ground staff circus.
