Ahead of 3rd India vs Australia Test, Ranchi pitch is talk of the town

Indian team coach Anil Kumble during a practice session before India's third test match against Australia at the JSCA stadium, in Ranchi on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

The pitches for the first two India vs Australia Tests have come in for criticism from all quarters and so the pitch for the third Test at Ranchi's JSCA stadium has come under scanner even before the match gets underway.

Curator SB Singh has been a very popular guy with the media seeking him out. Singh is confident that the Ranchi pitch will last five days. And only time will tell if his prediction comes true or not?

But there are several conspiracy theories doing the rounds right now. Australian media is all agog with rumours over the quality of the pitch.

The fact that officials are restricted players from taking pictures, but close-up images have raised the australian media's hackles. They are alleing that hte pitch will be bone-dry and grassless surface and play low and slow.

The Australian team had their first look at the JSCA Stadium pitch on Tuesday morning. Coach Darren Lehmann, captain Steve Smith along with some other members of the team inspected the wicket.

The JSCA has prepared three wickets -- pitch number four, five and seven -- for its debut Test and it's likely that pitch No.5 will be used.

Former India skipper MS Dhoni paid a surprise visit to the Ranchi stadium to inspect the preparations for the 3rd India vs Australia Test match. File Pic

The conspiracy theorists had more fodder when former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni paid a surprise visit to the Jharkhand State Cricket Association Stadium (JSCA) which will host its maiden Test recently and had a discussion with the curator as he inspected all the preparations for the crucial game.

The Australian media also got a chance to attack Virat Kohli and the Indian team once again thanks to the curator's statement that the choice of the wicket would be left to 'the team'.

Facing flak, Singh, clarified that by team he meant officials. "I have never said anything about Kohli being allowed to have his say on the pitch for the match," said Singh. But by then the damage had been done.

Australian cricketers in action during a practice session before the third test match against India at the JSCA stadium, in Ranchi on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

The BCCI were in for some more embarrassment after match referee Chris Broad rated the Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch for the second Test between India and Australia as "below average" after the Pune pitch was rated as "poor".

India won the second Test in Bengaluru by 75 runs after losing the first Test by 333 runs. The third Test will begin Ranchi from Thursday.

Kumble though has said that the team was not affected by the talks around pitches used in the two Test. "It doesn't affect our game. We only want to play. We are not doing the talking but you are. We are just playing and thinking about the game on the field," the coach said.