Kanpur, Apr 9: With India needing to win the third and final cricket Test against South Africa to square the series, the 22-yard strip at Green Park here has understandably attracted much attention in both camps.

The South Africans are convinced that the pitch will "deteriorate quickly" and has been tailor-made to suit the hosts though the curator maintains it will be a sporting track.

The grass was slightly pruned and a heavy roller used in the morning.

The grass generally binds the surface together and helps the pitch to hold up for the period of the Test match. But the scorching sun could break the track earlier than expected in the absence of any grass.

It is not clear whether the Indian team management had made any specific request for a spinning track but going by the experience in Ahmedabad, where India were humiliated in just three days, the curator may have had second thoughts about leaving any grass.

"We have not received any instructions. We have used the heavy roller on the grass," curator Shiv Kumar said.

"Batting in the first innings should not be a problem. The bowlers will start getting some assistance at a later stage," he said.

If the track indeed provides assistance to spin bowlers, the toss will play a big role as no team would like to bat last when conditions will be even more difficult.