The JSCA International Sports Complex in Ranchi will host the third and final India versus South Africa Test to be played from Saturday (October 19) onwards. 

The hosts currently lead the three-match series by an unassailable 2-0 margin and will be hoping to continue their domination over the visitors. The match is part of the inaugural World Test Championship and carries 40 points for a win. 

In the meantime, similar to how it has unfortunately been in India for the last couple of years, talk has revolved around the surface that the curator in Ranchi may roll out with so much at stake for the two sides. 

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This will be the second Test to be played in Ranchi; the city hosted its first when Australia came visiting in 2017 for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. That game ended in a draw after Steve Smith, Cheteshwar Pujara and Wriddhiman scored tons, while the bowlers toiled hard under the sun. 

This time, however, the strip in Ranchi is expected to help the spinners a lot more with a member of the ground staff confirming it will be "a typical Indian wicket", as per a report in Hindustan Times. 

A thin top layer of grass has been left to keep the surface together at the start before it fades away and the deck turns for the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. 

And though the black soil has been used to ensure the surface doesn't become a dust bowl, the scorching heat in Ranchi is guaranteed to play its part. 

"It’s a very high quality clay soil that rules out the possibility of the pitch turning into a dust bowl," the groundstaff said.

India won the first Test in Visakhapatnam by 203 runs and then routed South Africa again in Pune by an innings and 137 runs in the second Test. 

(Inputs from HT)