The rank-turner pitch at the Holkar Stadium in Indore where the third Test between India and Australia was played has been declared 'poor' by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Australia flattened India by nine wickets in two days and a little over an hour on Friday (March 3) to leave the Border-Gavaskar series' equation at 1-2.
As per ICC, the pitch gave undue advantage to spinners as 14 wickets fell during Day 1. A total of 31 wickets fell during the third Test match, out of which 26 were snared by the spinners while just four wickets were taken by pacers as one was run out.
“The International Cricket Council today announced that the pitch for the third Test of the ICC World Test Championship series between India and Australia at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore has been rated as “poor” under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process,” the ICC said in a statement.
BCCI now have 14 days if they want to appeal against the sanction.
Not just this, 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.
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.
It was India's first loss at home since Chennai Test against England. The pitch came under scanner when one of Ravindra Jadeja’s delivery to Usman Khawaja in second session of Day 1 spun sharply which saw puff of dust coming off the surface after the ball landed. No side managed to cross the 200-run mark in a total of four innings. Batting first Indian team was bowled out for a paltry 109 riding on Matthew Kuhnemann's brilliant fifer while in reply Australia posted 197 on the board. India, who were trailing behind following a first inning collapse, again failed to score big and posted 163 on the board and gave Australia just 76-run target. Nathan Lyon took eight wickets to break India's back and ultimately tilt the match in visitors' favour.
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