Bhubaneswar, Dec. 4 -- Barabati Stadium in Cuttack will debut a red-soil wicket for the upcoming India-South Africa T20 International on December 9, following an inspection by BCCI East Zone chief pitch curator Ashish Bhowmick on Wednesday.

According to The Times of India report, the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) had prepared two tracks, one made from red soil sourced from Maharashtra and another from traditional black soil brought from Kalahandi.

After evaluating both surfaces, Bhowmick approved the red-soil pitch, noting that it promises a livelier contest with better pace, bounce and carry, especially under lights and in winter conditions.

This marks the first instance of a red-soil surface being used at Barabati Stadium, which h...