IND vs SL Pink Ball Test: The International Cricket Council (ICC) rated Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch as “BELOW AVERAGE” as the 2nd Test between India and Sri Lanka ended in less than 3 days. Rohit Sharma & Co thrashed Sri Lanka by 238 runs to complete a clean sweep.
With that, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium received a demerit point. Interestingly, it was Karnataka’s very own Javagal Srinath who furnished the rating as 30 wickets fell inside the first two days.
IND vs SL Pink Ball Test: ICC rates Bengaluru pitch ‘BELOW AVERAGE’ after India’s Pink Ball Test against Sri Lanka ends in 3 days
“Javagal Srinath of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees has rated the pitch at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru that was used for the second Test between India and Sri Lanka as “below average” and the venue has received one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process,” the ICC said in a statement.
The pitch offered turn from Day 1 and spinners got a stranglehold as the match progressed. Bowlers dominated proceedings on the first day of the Test, with a total of 16 wickets falling on the opening day, nine of which were picked up by the spinners. At the end of the day, Sri Lanka were 86/6 after bowling India out for 252.
“The pitch offered a lot of turn on the first day itself and though it improved with every session, in my view, it was not an even contest between bat and ball,” Javagal Srinath said in his match report.
IND vs SL Pink Ball Test: ICC rates Bengaluru pitch ‘BELOW AVERAGE’ after India’s Pink Ball Test against Sri Lanka ends in 3 days
ICC has given its verdict on the Bengaluru pitch from the recently concluded #WTC23 clash between India and Sri Lanka 👇 https://t.co/7oqiMNhpqD
— ICC (@ICC) March 20, 2022
What does ICC rules say on Pitch?
- In the revised ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, which was introduced on 4 January 2018, if a pitch or outfield is rated as being substandard, that venue will be allocated a number of demerit points.
- One demerit point will be awarded to venues whose pitches are rated by the match referees as below average, while three and five demerit points will be awarded to venues whose pitches are marked as poor and unfit, respectively.
- No demerit point will be awarded when the outfield is rated as below average, but two and five demerit points will be awarded to venues whose outfields are marked as poor and unfit, respectively.
- Demerit points will remain active for a rolling five-year period.
- When a venue accumulates five demerit points (or crosses that threshold), it will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months, while a venue will be suspended from staging any international cricket for 24 months when it reaches the threshold of 10 demerit points.
Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 109 early on day two and were then set a target of 447. The visitors showed a better display in the final innings, with Dimuth Karunaratne leading the way with a century. However, they were bowled out for 208, losing the match by 238 runs.
IND vs SL Pink Ball Test: ICC rates Bengaluru pitch ‘BELOW AVERAGE’ after India’s Pink Ball Test against Sri Lanka ends in 3 days
