India head coach Rahul Dravid is expecting the pitch for the first Test against England to be a 'good one' but he also sees spin coming into play as the game goes on.
Ahead of the first Test starting in Hyderabad from Thursday, the 22-yard pitch spotted a dry look, especially from the good length area on either side of it.
"Hard one to say (nature of pitch). We will have a look once it (match) starts and figure it out. It looks a good one from what I have seen," Dravid began his statement during Tuesday's media interaction in a rather mundane manner.
"But may spin a little bit. How quickly and how fast, I am not sure. But it might spin a little bit certainly as the game goes on."
Fast bowler Mark Wood, on the other hand, admitted that the England camp has had a discussion about the nature of pitch but without creating a bedlam in their minds.
"We have discussed the pitch. But I wouldn't say we discuss it at that length to worry about it. We have enough self-belief in our group that we can do something special. We have got spinners, we have got seam, we have got good batters and we have got a good recent history behind us."
Wood, however, acknowledged that the England players will have to do well on the tracks on offer during the series.
"We know that this is a massive task. It's not good coming here and rolling over thinking it's going to be tough because the pitches are not what we're used to. We have to find a way.
"We will adapt. We've got a captain who always wants to take the game forward. So, it should be an entertaining series," said the fast bowler.
However, that adaptation just might not be an easy process for the Englishmen.
"We have had enough time to prepare the pitch. There will be help for both batsmen and bowlers, but as the match moves on it will turn, but I think, these players are experienced enough to apply themselves and make runs," a HCA official told PTI.
India's players hit the ground and sweated out earnestly here on Tuesday despite the training session being an optional one.
All the squad members, except pacer Jasprit Bumrah, attended the nets that lasted a little over two hours.
