Reports | ICC rates Ahmedabad’s third-Test pitch average; no sanction

The entire world’s focus was on the pitch that was on offer during India’s third Test clash against England, in Ahmedabad, where the pink-ball Test lasted two days, over five sessions. While England got off to a great start in the Test, they succumbed in the second session to hand over the advantage to the hosts, who later completed the win with ease. 

While the criticism around the pitch was certainly there, experts even contemplated whether India should keep producing pitches that don’t have an even contest between the bat and the ball. However, the ICC, according to a Cricbuzz report, which rates the conditions on offer after every Test series, rated the Ahmedabad pitch for the third Test as 'average', giving the pitch no sanction whatsoever. Sanctions are only applied for conditions and pitches which fall below the category of average, as poor. 

Cricbuzz also reported that owing to the pink-ball, which skidded more than usual red-ball, the third Test got done in two days with the conditions still rated as good, in terms of the bounce on offer. Meanwhile, the rating for the pitch that was on offer in the fourth Test was rated good, an event that got completed in three days. 

Meanwhile, the conditions in Chennai, which hosted the first and the second Test. received a rating of Very good and Average respectively. While it is usually the match referee who have a word on the state of the pitches, in this case, the ICC had to step in owing to the officials being from the host country.