The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released ratings for the pitches in India after the Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. The Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, played five Test matches at different venues during the home season.
The India National Cricket Team’s home Test season began with the first match against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The International Cricket Council has rated the pitch as “Very Good.”
Green Park Outfield in Kanpur Rated “Unsatisfactory” by ICC
The second series match between India and Bangladesh was held at Green Park in Kanpur. Due to rain and a wet outfield, only two and a half days of play were possible. As a result, the ICC has rated the outfield as “unsatisfactory,” although the pitch itself received a “satisfactory” rating.
Following that, India played a three-match Test series against New Zealand. The first match took place at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, with the next two games held at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune and Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the pitch helped the fast bowlers, while the pitches in Pune and Mumbai were more suited for spinners. The ball spun sharply, making it difficult for the batters from both teams to settle, resulting in regular wickets.
Despite the challenges on these surfaces, the International Cricket Council (ICC) rated all three pitches as “Satisfactory.”
The ICC rates pitches and outfields for international matches on a scale ranging from “Very Good” to “Unfit” — these categories are: Very Good, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory, and Unfit. If a venue gets an “Unsatisfactory” rating, it earns one demerit point, and three demerit points are given for an “Unfit” rating. If a ground accumulates five or more demerit points over five years, it is banned from hosting international matches for 12 months.
The India National Cricket Team didn’t have the season they were hoping for. The team, led by Rohit Sharma, started their home Test season strong by winning both matches against Bangladesh. Given their dominant performances, it seemed like they would continue the same form against New Zealand.
However, things took a surprising turn. India was outplayed by New Zealand and suffered a whitewash, losing all three matches of the series at home. This was the first time India had lost all the games in a home Test series.
On top of that, India also lost valuable World Test Championship points. They were at the top of the standings before the New Zealand series, but they dropped to second place after the whitewash. Now, to qualify for the World Test Championship final, India must win four games in Australia and can afford only one draw. They cannot lose a single match from here on.
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