India were handed a tough verdict by the ICC on the Indore pitch after the three-day finale of the third Test of the BGT series. The ICC rated the pitch as “poor” under the committee’s pitch and outfield monitoring procedure. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar lashed out at the ICC’s decision, calling it “harsh”. As well as a cruel reminder of the pitch at the Gabba last November, which hosted a Test match between Australia and South Africa.
Speaking on the pitch, that 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, 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.”
Gavaskar, in conversation with India Today, fumed over the ICC’s statement on the Indore pitch. He recalled the Novak Test match between the Australians and South Africa at the Gabba, which ended in a two-day affair.
Gavaskar questioned – “One thing I would like to know, there was this Test match in Novembesaidr in Brisbane Gabba, where the match finished in 2 days. How many demerit points did that pitch get and who was the match referee there?”
Gavaskar said –
“I think 3 demerit points is a little harsh, because, in this pitch, yes the ball turned, but it was not dangerous. When Australia get to a score of 77 for the loss of one wicket it actually tells you that the pitch 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.
