For all those who insist that India tends to produce pitches to favor its spinners, the answer for long has been one word: Mohali.
It was on a misty December morning during the 19945-'95 series against the West Indies that this ground, then staging its first ever Test, served up an astonishing turnaround.
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Defending a very small total, Windies quicks Kenneth Benjamin and Courtney Walsh exploited the pace and bounce of Mohali's then virgin wicket to bowl a strong India batting line-up out for 114 -- in the second innings, mind you -- and thus fashion an incredible win for their side.
Benjamin and Walsh were to say, later, that the Mohali wicket was, in terms of pace, akin to or better than anything they were used to in their own native land.
That gave birth to the legend of Mohali as a wicket against type -- a fast bowler's oasis in the land of spin-friendly dustbowls.
Another chapter was written into that legend five years down the line, when New Zealand blew India away for just 83 in the first innings, on a fiery track.
The wicket has since been tamed; the grass is scarcer, the bounce more even, the outlook less scary for those who have to pad up first thing on the first morning of a Test -- yet Mohali continues to favour seamers, especially during the morning session.
The aberration was the last Test played at this venue, against New Zealand in October 2003, when an absolute flat track saw a feast of runs -- and much criticism of the curator. On that occasion, Punjab Cricket Association president Inderjit Singh Bindra had to apologize to the fans via the media.
That mistake won't happen again, says Mohali's curator Daljit Singh, who has produced pitches for all five Tests played at the venue till date. The wicket for the Indo-Pak Test beginning March 8 is, Singh says, likely to be seam-friendly on the first three days, before beginning to turn.
"The wicket will have a decent covering of grass to begin with; it will be aided to a certain degree by the cold weather in the mornings and evenings."
Another factor is the canopy covers in use in Mohali, that permits the wicket to breathe, and thus keeps it spiced up for the morning sessions.
"It will be quick and the ball will seam around a bit to start with," the 62-year-old curator says. "There is a light covering of grass on the wicket, and more grass has been rolled in to try and bind the wicket better."
Since this is the first Test of the series, Singh wants to ensure a level playing field for both sides -- and for both batsmen, and bowlers. "I am trying to produce a wicket that will help both batsmen and bowlers. A scored of around 300-350 will be very competitive," he says.
Both captains have given the wicket their stamp of approval -- but it is Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq who gave the best clue to the nature of the wicket.
If Pakistan wins the toss, 'Inzy' made it clear, he will not hesitate for a second before opting to bowl first.
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