ICC passes verdict on Indore pitch, massive blow to India after 3rd Test ends early in two days and a session
The Holkar Stadium has received three demerit points as a result after ICC match referee Chris Broad submitted his report after consultation with both Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith, the captains of both teams in the third Test.
All the talk and fear surrounding the pitch at the Holkar Stadium in Indore for the third Test between India and Australia turned out to be true as ICC gave it a “poor” rating after reports from the match referee in consultation with the captains of both the sides Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith. The announcement came hours after the Test match ended in two days and a session with Australia claiming victory by nine wickets. Spinners from both teams enjoyed great help from the surface that offered vicious turn right from the start on Day 1, which saw 14 wickets fall. Out of the 31 wickets that fell during the whole match, 26 were scalped by the spinners while only four wickets went to pacers. One was run-out.
The Holkar Stadium has received three demerit points as a result after ICC match referee Chris Broad submitted his report after consultation with both Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith, the captains of both teams in the third Test.
BCCI now have 14 days if they wish to appeal against the sanction.
Batters of both sides struggled to bat long on the surface. India's first innings folded for 109 after lasting just 33.2 overs. Australia were bowled out for 197, losing six wickets for 11 runs on Day 2.
India's second innings wasn't any better. They were bundled out for 163 with only Cheteshwar Pujara managing to score a half-century. Usman Khawaja was the highest scorer of the match with his 60-run knock in the first innings.
Speaking on the pitch, Chris Broad said: “The pitch, which was very dry, did not provide a balance between bat and ball, favouring spinners from the start.
"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.”
According to the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, a venue will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months if it accumulates five or more demerit points over a five-year rolling period.
India's captain Rohit Sharma, however, was not happy with all the talk surrounding the pitch.
"As the host country, we have the right to decide what we have to do and what kind of pitches we want to play on. This was a collective call of the whole team. So I don't think we are putting any pressure on our batters (to adapt to playing on slow, turning tracks). When we win, everything's fine. It is only when we lose that these things get talked about.
“We decided to play on such pitches, knowing the challenges we were facing and were ready for them. Players have to play well for the game to last all five days. Games finish early even outside India. Yesterday, in South Africa, the Test (against West Indies) finished inside three days. So it is about skills, people have to adapt to pitches helping certain bowlers. Batters need to try and test their skills. It isn't about playing on flat decks and finishing at honours even. In Pakistan, three Tests were played over five days but were called boring. We are making it interesting for you guys,” the Indian captain said in the post-match press conference in Indore.
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