WACA is always different, makes batsmen hop

Looking at the wicket, he clearly suggests that the pitch for the third Test against India will see a lot of batsmen hopping on this relaid turf.

“The secret of the WACA wicket lies in its soil composition and preparation,” he says, as introduction to one of India’s greatest mysteries waiting to unfold. “We start the preparation a month ago with some cross-rolling on the wicket to even it out. The main part of the preparation starts four days before the match when we sprinkle little water and use the heavy roller to compress the soil and set it hard,” he adds.

This WACA wicket has a 75 per cent clay content soil and that allows the wicket to stay firm and not crumble. The wicket underneath has a couple of varieties of sand and 200mm of clay as the base. “It’s called smectie clay and it has a special firmness property. We bring the soil from outside, it’s an hour and a half drive south of Perth and we use the wintergreen couch grass here to help get extra binding on the wicket,” he reveals.

So, is this what makes the WACA pitch famous, and is it possible that the Wankhede can be a WACA by the same process?

“Theoretically, if you use the same composition and the base, its possible. Maybe sometimes it’s the conditions that can matter but, I am told that Mumbai has similar conditions, so it’s very much possible,” he says, giving a huge clue for the Indian cricket administrators who have been perenially looking to relay fast-paced wickets across the country.

But for the moment, it’s back to Perth, and the relaid pitch for the third Test. Over the years, the reputation of Perth has taken a beating with wickets getting down considerably slower and it took a pre-season initiative from Cricket Australia and the local association this time to get the record straight again.

“I can say that this wicket will be like the old Perth wicket,” says Sutherland. “And I am expecting quite a good carry over the full five days,” he says.

Shaun Tait had just finished his little quick spell in the nets, and he’s quite excited to have a go against India on this fast playing surface in what would be his first appearance in the series.

And, even as the Indian batters tried coping with their little adjustments of the chest-pad and bringing forth the cut and pull shots into play, former paceman Mike Whitney passed by for a corporate luncheon event in a special tent near the nets—the memories of his seven-wicket haul and that crushing 300-run defeat coming back to haunt the Indians.

Only one man stood tall in that 1992 massacre—Sachin Tendulkar got a brilliant hundred here, and he’s expected to do that again.