‘Some of our guys got hit on practice pitches, will it be bouncy’: Ashwin talks to Oval pitch doctor before IND vs AUS WTC Final 2023

India are back in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final and this time they take on Australia at The Oval, starting Wednesday.
India, who were favorite against New Zealand in 2021 at Southampton, collapsed under pressure on a low-scoring fast bowlers’ pitch from New Zealand’s five-prong pace attack on the fifth day.
India suffered playing three seamers in the 2021 final, even after rain washed out the scheduled first day.
But there’s no rain forecast this week; there hasn’t been any rain in London for three weeks. The track is dry and bouncy. Whether it will break up is a mystery. The Oval has never before staged a test in June in 143 years.
Before the all important clash, India spinner R Ashwin got hold of The Oval pitch doctor whom he refers to as “Leez” and was involved in a sporting chat.
“We have got the pitch doctor from The Oval responsible for the surface. Allright tell me what have you got in store?,” Ashwin says in a video shared on his YouTube channel.
“Good Oval pitch,” says Leez
“You always prepare good pitches but today some of our guys got hit on the practice pitches. It bounced a lot. So is it going to be similar?,” Ashwin asked again before going on to quiz, “Can we expect a nice and bouncy Brett Lee pitch ?”
“It will be bouncy, that is one thing I can guarantee,” said Leez.