Black Soil Or Red Soil Pitch Is Good For Batting Or Bowling

With the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to kick off in just over three hours, the 10 franchises and their respective think tanks have begun preparations in earnest.
As the top-flight matches will be played across four venues in the twin cities of Mumbai and Pune, it is important for franchises to realise how crucial the condition and behaviour of the pitch is when strategising and planning ahead of each match.
Of the four IPL 2022 stadiums, Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium (all in Mumbai) are made from red soil, while the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune is made from black soil.
Also Read: IPL 2022 Opening Match CSK vs KKR Wankhede Stadium Pitch Report
Black Soil vs Red Soil Pitches in Cricket
When experts describe a cricket field as suitable for batting or bowling, they are basically referring to the amount of clay and sand used by the management in creating the field.
The clay content should ideally be above 50% while the sand content should be below 5%. The increase or decrease of these two factors, combined with the type of surface used, determines how the pitch behaves at different stages of the game.
Cricket pitches around the world are made of black or red soil. Factors such as the dryness and cracking of the pitch also reflect the type and characteristics of the soil used to prepare the pitch.
Furthermore, the characteristics of these two soils may vary across geographic locations. For example, black ground courts in Australia generally have higher speed and bounce, whereas black ground courts in India may keep the ball lower and slower. Difference between black soil and red soil
Simply put, red soil generally has a lower clay content, which results in more wear and tear on the pitch during a match. This is mainly because the soil has less elasticity and water absorption, which means it dries out faster and crumbles sooner compared to black soil.
Black flooring, on the other hand, is more elastic, which means it lasts longer. Higher clay content means greater water absorption capacity, which means the pitch won't wear out as quickly.
The three pitches in Mumbai offer more bounce initially, which could help players in the early stages of the league phase. However, as time goes on and more matches are played on red courts, it is expected that wear on the pitch will see spinners dominate the match.
Meanwhile, the black surface at the MCA Stadium in Pune is likely to give spinners an immediate advantage compared to the other three surfaces in Mumbai.
How do both fields generally play in India? On the red surface, the consistent bounce favours both pace bowlers and batsmen and it generally doesn't become a one-sided contest between bat and ball.
Batsmen can hit through the lines while still trusting the bounce, which allows them to get the most value out of their shots. Due to wear and tear on the track, spinners get support as the game progresses.
But on black playing surfaces, spinners usually get in on the play from the start. The ball sticks to the surface and gets less bounce, making it difficult for batsmen to hit freely. Pacemakers can also be very effective with slow-ball variations.