The pitch for the Boxing Day Test between South Africa and India at Centurion has received a ‘Satisfactory’ rating from the International Cricket Council (ICC). This comes after criticism of the New Year Test pitch at Newlands in Cape Town, which was deemed ‘Unsatisfactory’ with one demerit point. Despite some discussions about the nature of the Centurion pitch, the ICC’s assessment differs from opinions like Sunil Gavaskar’s, who argued that both the Centurion and Newlands pitches were problematic.
The Test at Centurion concluded within three days, with South Africa securing victory by an innings and 32 runs in the last session of the third day. Despite the short duration, the match witnessed two centuries, one by KL Rahul and the other by Dean Elgar. Elgar scored an impressive 185 runs, coming close to achieving a double hundred. However, in the second innings, the pitch showed a different character, leading to India’s collapse for 131 runs in 34.1 overs, with only Virat Kohli (76) and Shubman Gill (26) managing to reach double-digit scores.
The ICC recently changed its pitch and outfield rating system for international fixtures, simplifying it to four ratings: very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and unfit. This change aims to provide clearer feedback to the host Member Board to assist in future pitch and outfield preparations for international matches at the relevant venue. If a pitch or outfield is deemed substandard, with a rating of unsatisfactory or unfit, sanctions may be applied by the ICC to the venue that presented the substandard pitch or outfield for international cricket.
This assessment and the changes in the rating system are expected to impact future pitch preparations and the quality of cricket in international matches.
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