The International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken action on the pitch of the Pink Ball Test between India and Sri Lanka played in Bangalore. Match referee Javagal Srinath rated the pitch of the Day Night Test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium below average. Under this, this pitch has got one demerit point by the ICC. Earlier, the ICC had run a hunter on the dead pitch of Rawalpindi (PAK vs AUS).
Let us tell you that 16 wickets had fallen on the Bangalore pitch on the very first day of the match. The pitch has been rated below average in a report submitted by ICC match referee Javagal Srinath. This pitch will now be monitored by the ICC. A demerit point has also been added to the account of this pitch under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
Former Indian cricketer Javagal Srinath, who was the referee in this match, said, ‘The pitch saw more turn on the first day itself and the ball was getting more turn with every session. In my view, it was not an equal fight between bat and ball. So, keeping in mind the ICC guidelines, I consider this pitch to be below average.
Recently, the ICC had taken the same action at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium played between Pakistan and Australia. The referee of that match, Ranjan Madugalle, had rated the pitch below average. Due to this rating, the Rawalpindi Ground got one demerit point for the pitch used for the Pakistan vs Australia Test match.
Pitches are rated as Very Good, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor and Unfit according to the ratings given by the ICC. One demerit point is awarded for the average, three for the poor and five for unfit. These demerit marks are valid for the next five years. If a ground gets 5 demerit points, then international cricket cannot be held on it for a year. Wherein 10 demerit points are banned for 2 years.
Significantly, the Indian team won the Pink Ball Test against Sri Lanka in Bangalore by 238 runs within three days. On this pitch, the Indian team was all out on the first day and Sri Lanka also lost 6 wickets. On the second day, Sri Lanka’s second innings was reduced, India declared the innings for the loss of 9 wickets and Sri Lanka again lost one wicket. In this way, 30 wickets had fallen here in two days. In such a situation, the bowlers were getting tremendous help on the pitch. India won the match and won the series 2-0.