Following endless discussions around the Nagpur and Delhi tracks, ICC match referee Andy Pycroft finally revealed his judgment about the same on Thursday. The pitches used for the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 have been given an ‘average’ rating after Team India wrapped up both games within three days, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead to retain the trophy.
The actual ratings are yet to be uploaded on the ICC website but, news agency PTI has confirmed that the match referee hasn’t given an adverse report about the two tracks.
The Australian media went paranoid about the nature of the Nagpur pitch, claiming that the hosts have ‘doctored’ it to benefit the spinners against the visiting team that has left-hand batters in plenty. The Pat Cummins-led side scored 177 and 91 in both innings while India were able to score 400 in their only innings.
During the second Test in Delhi last week, the Aussie batters failed to adjust to the up-and-down nature of the track on the third day and eventually, lost nine wickets for 52 runs in their second innings, that too, in a little more than 90 minutes.
While Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja ruled the roost during the two games, an ‘average” rating means that no demerit points are awarded to the venue.
How the pitches are rated by a match referee?
There are six distinct classifications – Very Good, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor and Unfit.
Only when a pitch is rated below average, poor or unfit does, it attracts demerit points.
The Nagpur venue had once earlier been suspended when an India versus South Africa match ended in two days with the ball turning square from the first hour.
(With PTI Inputs)
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