India were handed a tough verdict by the ICC on the Indore pitch after the three-day finale of the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, which hosts Australia won by nine wickets. The ICC gave the pitch a “poor” rating under the committee’s pitch and outfield monitoring procedure. Legendary Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar fumed at the ICC’s decision, calling it “harsh”, a cruel reminder of the pitch at the Gabba last November which hosted a Test between Australia and South Africa.
On a fiery turner that showed a 4.8 degree turn on day one, the spinners had a ball in Indore. Of the 31 wickets that fell during the match, he took 26 wickets in Australia’s victory, including player of the match Nathan Lyon, with 11 wickets to his name.
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Speaking on the pitch, which received three demerit points, ICC match referee Chris Broad said: “The pitch, which was very dry, did not provide a balance between bat and ball in favor of the spinners from the outset. The ball broke through the surface and occasionally broke the surface with little or no seam movement and excessive and uneven bounce throughout the match.
Sunil Gavaskar said in a conversation with India Today, ‘One thing I want to know is that this Test match was in Brisbane Gabba in November, where the match ended in 2 days. How many demerit points did that pitch get and who was the match referee there? I think 3 demerit points is a bit harsh because yes, the ball did turn on this pitch, but it was not dangerous. When Australia are 77 for the loss of one wicket, it really tells you that the pitch has got a lot better.
The Gabba pitch, which was criticized by many including South African captain Dean Elgar, received a ‘below average’ rating from the ICC.
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Their forecast by ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees member Richie Richardson read, “Overall, the pitch at the Gabba for this Test match favored the bowlers. There was extra bounce and occasional excessive seam movement. Odd deliveries were also less frequent on the second day, making it very difficult for the batsmen to build partnerships. I found the pitch to be “below average” as per ICC guidelines as it was not an equal contest between bat and ball.
