Last Update: March 05, 2023, 08:05 AM IST
India is ahead 2-1 in the four-match series. (AP Photo)
The Indore Test lasted a little over seven sessions, followed by Australia’s nine-wicket win, after which the ICC rated the pitch as ‘poor’ and added three demerit points.
The pitch talk continues in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy in India after Australia completed nine wickets in the Indore Test, which lasted just two days. The pitch offered plenty of turn and bounce as the Indian team suffered a batting collapse in both their innings at the Holkar Stadium.
India made 109 after winning the toss and took an 88-run lead before Australia scored 197. The hosts fared slightly better in their second innings as they were bowled out for 163 to set a small target of 76.
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Interestingly, despite losing no wickets on the scoreboard, Australia achieved the target in only 18.5 overs, indicating that the pitch had become better for batting.
Soon after the conclusion of the match, the ICC labeled the pitch used for the match as ‘poor’, while adding three demerit points, angering the great Sunil Gavaskar, who immediately recalled that Australia and South Africa had met in Brisbane last year. How was a test between Finished within two days.
“One thing I want to know, there was this Test match in Brisbane Gabba in November where the match got over in 2 days. How many demerit points did that pitch get and who was the match referee there? I think 3 demerit points is a bit harsh because yes, the ball did turn on this pitch, but it was not dangerous. When Australia get to 77 for one it really tells you that the pitch has got a lot better,” Gavaskar said.
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor, however, argues that Gabba produced a pitch that did not favor either side and was equally harsh for the batsmen of both teams.
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“I think they have to keep an eye on things like that because people watch the Gabba this season. The groundsmen over there got it wrong,” Taylor told Sydney Morning Herald,
“They left a lot of grass on it but, in a way, it didn’t favor either side. It would have benefited South Africa’s fast bowlers (like Australia) because they have four very good fast bowlers so I don’t There seemed to be some trickery going on at the Gabba. I think with Indore, I hope I can say the same thing there, but what happened there, the pitch was prepared so poorly that it actually played made India a bit of a lottery, which was not in India’s favor at all.” ,
Taylor said that India was not expecting the Australian spinners to dominate. “It (the pitch) probably brought Australia’s spin bowlers into the game a lot more than they (India) thought it was going to,” he said.
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