India Raises Concerns Over Warm-Up Pitch
India’s side, coached by Gautam Gambhir and captained by Shubman Gill, is preparing for a three-day warm-up match against Sri Lanka XI at the NCC Ground in Colombo, which begins on Friday, August 7, 2026.
Before the two-match Test series, the practice match gives the tourists an important opportunity to acclimatise to subcontinental conditions.
The first Test will be held at Galle International Cricket Stadium from August 15 to 19, with the second Test taking place at SSC, Colombo, from August 23 to 27. The warm-up match was reduced from four days to three.
The amount of grass left on the wicket during the practice match is said to have upset the Indian squad’s management. A. Francke, an NCC official, has addressed these concerns by detailing the rationale for pitch preparation as well as the ground conditions for the warm-up games.
“The Indian team complained that there was too much grass on the pitch, but that is how we keep it for a three-day game.
You can’t provide a wicket without grass. Aside from that, they were satisfied. The wicket we’ve given is good, but I’m not sure if it will benefit any team. “It depends on how they play,” Francke told Revsports.
Why did the NCC preserve the wicket’s grass?
Francke indicated that the decision to place grass on the wicket was made after conferring with Sri Lankan cricket officials and was not taken at random. Although the NCC Ground is notorious for producing batting-friendly surfaces, the official was sure that the pitch would provide a fair bat-ball competition.
“The hint of grass was requested by Sri Lanka cricket, therefore we will leave it that way. Maybe the weather will alter, but NCC wickets are typically decent batting tracks. We are looking for good scores here. But the Indian batsmen may get some good preparation here before they get to Galle’, Francke remarked.
The expected behaviour of the pitch
In addition, Francke provided tactical advice for the team that won the toss, as well as an assessment of how the pitch would develop over the duration of the three-day contest.
The NCC spokesperson emphasised the ground’s commitment to creating level playing surfaces that do not favour one team over another.
“Our wicket could favour the spinners on the second or third day. However, I recommend that anyone who wins the toss here bat first. “We always prepare good and fair wickets,” Francke stated.
