Match referee Jeff Crowe raised concerns about the government-owned Kanpur stadium's inadequate drainage system
08 November, 2024
PHOTO: AFP
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released its pitch ratings for India’s recent home Test season against Bangladesh and New Zealand, evaluating surfaces from five Test matches. The ratings, announced on Thursday, November 7, highlighted a mixed performance, with only one pitch receiving a "very good" grade while others fell short.
India's Test matches spanned multiple cities: two against Bangladesh in Chennai and Kanpur, and three against New Zealand in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai. The pitch for the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai was rated "very good" for both pitch and outfield quality, marking the season’s top-rated venue. However, the second Test at Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium received an "unsatisfactory" outfield rating due to poor drainage facilities, leading to significant delays as rain washed out two full days of play.
Match referee Jeff Crowe raised concerns about the government-owned Kanpur stadium's inadequate drainage system, which affected playing conditions despite India’s eventual win in under two days of active play.
In the series against New Zealand, none of the three pitches received ratings above "satisfactory." The Bengaluru opener faced difficult conditions, with moisture on the pitch due to pre-game rain assisting fast bowlers. India's batting collapsed to a historic low of 46 runs in the first innings.
To counter New Zealand, spin-friendly pitches were prepared for the Pune and Mumbai Tests. However, India's batting lineup struggled as New Zealand’s spinners, notably Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel, leveraged the spin-friendly conditions effectively.
Former Australian cricketer and match referee David Boon gave "satisfactory" ratings to the pitches in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai, noting their challenging conditions for Indian batters.
In contrast, pitches used in high-scoring T20 internationals in Gwalior, Delhi, and Hyderabad against Bangladesh received "very good" ratings, adhering well to the requirements of the shorter format.
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