Then in 1996, Sachin Tendulkar led India against South Africa in the final game of the series in a do-or-draw scenario. A wiser Chotelal rolled out a brownish carpet with myriad designs on it. India’s big win had then coach Madan Lal appreciating the groundsman with a Rs 25,000 award. “Even Tendulkar was quite happy. He met me after the game and was so happy that he gave me all the money that he had in his pocket,” says Chotelal.

In the background of such an diverse reactions from players, the hands that make pitches are always edgy. “It is always a safe option to create a pitch that has low bounce and turn. Our batsman love the ball that comes at about knee level and obviously our main strength, the spinners, love a turner,” he says.

Once in a while, one can get a Kishore Pradhan or a Dhiraj Parsana who add a dash of green to the pitch but the repercussion — on and off the field — make it a one-off misadventure. Invariably there is a U-turn. India getting bounced out against the Aussies at Pradhan’s Nagpur pitch was followed by the minefield of a turner at Mumbai. And it is quite clear here that the Motera mayhem by the South African pacers will be followed by India turning the tide at Green Park.

No repeat of 76

Chotelal says that he is sure that there wouldn’t be a repeat of 76 all out in the first innings of the match but he says chances are a similar batting collapse in the third and fourth innings can be expected. “This is first time that a Test match is being played in the summer at Kanpur. So the cracks on the pitch will get bigger quite fast,” he says.

... contd.