AGB Cricket

FOURTH TEST: HIMACHAL PRADESH CRICKET ASSOCIATION STADIUM

No apologies from me, but Steve Smith may want to apologise for losing a series after rashly claiming the momentum, or Virat Kohli may want to apologise for losing a series pretty much everyone expected India to win 4-0.

Or, like Nagpur in 2004, is Virat Kohli going to do a Ganguly and refuse to play on a greentop? A pace-friendly pitch for the deciding Test in 2004, a pace-friendly pitch for the deciding Test in 2017. To quote Carlos Santana: "Those who cannot remember Nagpur are condemned to repeat Dharamsala."

THIRD TEST: JHARKHAND STATE CRICKET ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL STADIUM COMPLEX (JSCAISC, FOR SHORTISH)

Crooky optimistically headlines today's Test preview "Back to cricket after all the controversy". Fat chance, chummy. The wild dawgs of controversy are gnawing on the leash, desperate to announce "There's only one team playing cricket out there. Woof!"

It would be brilliant if the BCCI Pitch Selection Panel's pitch selection backfired and played into Australia's hands, but once again it could all be about the toss. Can't see us good guys winning the Test if India wins the toss.

SECOND TEST: CHINNASWAMY STADIUM

At least there's now no question that India are flagrant and shameless pitch doctors. Not that there ever was.

FIRST TEST: MAHARASHTRA CRICKET ASSOCIATION STADIUM

So, for the practice match India laid down a road. For the Test match it's a minefield on a tectonic fault line. At least the Indians don't doctor pitches.