The outfield is cushy, soft and lush green. Straight boundary is long compared to the sides. The spinners have got a lot of purchase before it looks a much better pitch tonight to bat on. It sounds firm, looks like it has been rolled in really well. At Kotla, where the batters could swipe across the line merrily, they made 200-plus but the bowlers came up short.
On a two-paced Cuttack strip, the batting seemed rusty and unsure, while bowlers did marginally better.South Africa, meanwhile, have enjoyed a completely contrasting start to the series. When the situation demanded exceptional batting, a middle-order duo stood up; when they needed to peg India back with the ball, Anrich Nortje & Co. led the way. They've not even flinched with an injury taking out Quinton de Kock. Temba Bavuma's side have been admirably dominant.
