The pitch for the third Test in Indore has been swiftly sanctioned by the International Cricket Council, earning just the second “poor” rating since the introduction of new regulations five years ago.
Match referee Chris Broad handed down the decision on Friday only hours after Australia sealed a nine-wicket victory in a Test that only went a little more than an hour into the third day.
Batters from both teams had struggled to come to terms with the treacherous Holkar Stadium surface, while India coach Rahul Dravid had engaged in a lengthy discussion with the ground’s curator at lunch on the first day.
Broad’s rating means the venue receives three demerit points, with the match referee noting the pitch had been shown to be sub-standard from the very first over of the Test when a Mitchell Starc delivery caused an explosion of turf.
“The pitch, which was very dry, did not provide a balance between bat and ball, favoring spinners from the start,” Broad said in an ICC statement issued late on Friday evening (India time).
“The fifth ball of the match broke through the pitch surface and continued to occasionally break the surface providing little or no seam movement and there was excessive and uneven bounce throughout the match.”
The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) have a fortnight to appeal the decision.
It is the first pitch to receive a poor rating – the second worst verdict available to match referees, only above “unfit” – since the 2018 Wanderers Test between South Africa and India.
Indore was only announced as the third Test venue after the Border- Gavaskar Series had begun, with the BCCI making the shift from Dharamsala, where it was deemed the outfield was not up to scratch.