IND vs AUS: BCCI likely to challenge ICC's rating of Indore pitch

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in all probability might go on to challenge the rating of the Indore pitch at the Holkar Cricket Stadium by the International Cricket Council (ICC), used in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023.

Even before the commencement of the series, pictures and videos of pitch curators making pitches have been shared on social media with many passing various comments on them. There was a lot of humdrum regarding the Nagpur and Delhi pitches, controversy surrounding the Indore pitch crossed all borders.

The rating by the ICC is what is turning out to be the last nail in the coffin. “The pitch, which was very dry, did not provide a balance between bat and ball, favouring spinners from the start. The fifth ball of the match broke through the pitch surface and continued to occasionally break the surface providing little or no seam movement and there was excessive and uneven bounce throughout the match,” Chris Broad the match referee had said earlier giving his verdict on the Indore pitch.

BCCI has fourteen days to lodge a sanction

As per the global governing body's rules, the BCCI has exactly two weeks to raise a challenge against the sanction. In all high chances, the BCCI might just want to use it this time for the Indore pitch.

“We will take stock of the situation and decide,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. For the unversed, the Indore pitch has already received three demerit points. If in the coming five years, the Indore pitch goes on to receive atleast two more demerit points, thereby accumulating a total of five points, then the Holkar Cricket Stadium will be suspended for a period of one year from hosting any international matches.

Notably, Sunil Gavaskar seemed quite unpleased with the decision and raised a massive voice against the ICC's ruling of the Indore pitch. He was of the opinion that if the Gabba pitch of 2022 where a Test match between Australia and South Africa had ended in two days, received a lenient rating, then on what grounds the ICC is being so strict with the Indore pitch.

Only time will tell how things will pan out ahead for the Indore pitch and if the BCCI will successfully get the ICC verdict overturned.

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