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The upcoming ODI World Cup in India is set to witness the significant influence of dew. In response, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced a 'protocol' for ground curators to minimise the toss's impact.
Given the heavy dew expected across most venues during October-November, the ICC's move is strategic. The 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE was similarly affected, giving the second-batting team a distinct advantage.
While Indian pitches traditionally favour spinners, the ICC has advised curators to retain more grass on the pitches. This ensures seamers remain relevant, prompting teams to include more seamers in their line-ups.
Daily english news portal, the Times Of India, reported, "Venues in the northern, western and eastern states of India are likely to witness heavy dew at this time of year. Matches in Chennai and maybe Bengaluru are likely to see a decent amount of rain. The main idea is to keep the toss out of the equation as much as possible. Dew largely impacts the performance of spinners. With more grass, teams will not have to depend as much on spinners. That will also help in having true surfaces. And ODI games don't need to see very high scores to be interesting."
To strike a balance between batting and bowling, stadiums are advised to maximise boundary sizes, maintaining around 70 metres. "The minimum size of boundaries for international matches is 65 metres and maximum is 85 metres. The old centres have a boundary size of around 70-75 metres. The Indian cricket board (BCCI) has also directed curators to use a wetting agent that has been standardized by the board and ICC," sources added.
The Indian team, however, favours turning pitches against Australia and England. The match against Australia in Chennai on October 8 might be dew-free, but the England match in Lucknow on October 29 poses challenges for curators.
Ajit Agarkar, Chief Selector, previously acknowledged the dew factor, stating, "Dew will play a part. We have seen it many times. But it is more about the balance of the team. Sometimes it is a little bit easier for pacers than spinners to grip the ball. A good bowler will find a way to bowl in different conditions."
Considering the dew factor, India's inclusion of an extra seamer, Shardul Thakur, is strategic.
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