India is all set to begin their World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 campaign with a five-match series against England. They are currently at the Beckenham County Ground in Kent for some serious pre-series training. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has made it clear what they want from the pitch curators.
Josh Marden, the head pitch curator at Beckenham, shared what was discussed with the Indian support staff. He said, “After their meeting, the coaches including Gambhir came to us. They said, ‘We want a good pitch.’ They don’t want it too flat or too green; they’re looking for something that helps with match prep.”
With a young team and a new captain for this WTC cycle, the team is focused on quality prep instead of just making things easy. Marden added, “They wanted conditions that are more realistic, not just batting practice. So, we made some adjustments—like the grass cover and pitch length. The Indian team has been happy with the changes.”
The Beckenham pitch is usually a batter’s paradise, so it was a bit tricky for the curators to get the right mix. Marden said, “While the pitch might look dry or flat, we manage the grass density—how thick it is matters too. The pitches they’re using now have more grass than the typical white-ball ones. It might look brown, but there’s still enough bounce for seamers if you hit the right lengths.”
Read Also:- England to unveil their 6ft 4in bowler against India
Before their first Test at Headingley, India will also play an intra-squad match at Beckenham. This serious prep shows that India is not taking the new WTC cycle lightly, especially since this is Shubman Gill’s first series as captain. From the work they’re doing at Beckenham, it’s clear they’re up for a challenge.
