The fifth One-Day International in the ongoing India-New Zealand series, scheduled to be held in Visakhapatnam on October 29, could be shifted to an alternate venue owing to concerns over the pitch, reported Indian Express on Wednesday.
According to the report, the Ranji Trophy match between Assam and Rajasthan held on October 13 raised concerns after it got over inside three days. The third day saw 17 wickets fell. A pitch inspection is planned for Wednesday and if the surface is proved unfit, the venue will change.
“The pitch was re-laid four months back but because of the rains they couldn’t prepare it properly. The BCCI would be sending a curator/inspector, likely on Wednesday, for inspection and he will decide if the pitch is good enough to host the fifth ODI," said the secretary of the Andhra Cricket Association G Gangaraju.
MV Sridhar, the general manager of cricket operations in the BCCI, observed that he had found the surface damp while the Assam coach Sunil Joshi said that the pitch his team played their Ranji Trophy match on was not "good enough for the game".