ICC has given rating to the pitch at the Holkar Stadium Indore after the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia. The Aussies thrashed India by 9 wickets in the match on Friday. The pitch which received criticism from several players and experts has been given rating a rating of "poor" under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
Speaking on the pitch, 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.
The pitch which made batters from both sides struggle, was in favour to the spinners. Out of the 31 wickets that fell during the third Test, 26 were taken by the spinnirs, only four were taken by the pacers, while one was run-out.
Following the report submitted by ICC Match Referee Chris Broad after consultation with both Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith, the Holkar Stadium received three demerit points. BCCI can appeal against the sanction within 14 days.
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."
The hosts were bowled out for 163 in their second innings, leaving Australia with a target of just 76 runs. Both teams will face each other again in the fourth Test starting on March 9 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. India will want to win the match in order to seal their berth at the WTC final. In case if India fail to do so, they will need New Zealand to avoid a whitewash at the hands of Sri Lanka. While Australia have already sealed their place in the WTC final, Sri Lanka can pip India in the second spot only if they whitewash the Black Caps 2-0.
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