BCCI likely to challenge ICC's 'poor' rating on Indore pitch

Moments after Australia's big comeback win of nine wickets in the third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, ICC gave their verdict on the Indore track. The pitch of the Holkar Stadium was immensely criticised after 30 wickets fell on the first two days with spinners picking 25 of those. ICC rated it "poor" and slapped the venue with three demerit points. According to a report, BCCI, unhappy with the rating, is likely to challenge it.

The Indore tie was the third successive Test match in India that finished well within three days. The third Test lasted only seven sessions. However the criticisms had begun right from Day 1 where metrics showed a whopping 4.8 degrees of turn.

After the match ended on Saturday, ICC Match Referee Chris Broad handed over his assessment of the 3rd Test pitch which read: "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."

According to a report in Indian Express, BCCI is likely to challenge the verdict. "We will take stock of the situation and decide," a BCCI official told the newspaper.

Last year, the Pakistan Cricket Board had challenged ICC's decision to hand demerit points to Rawalpindi pitch after the first match of the series between Pakistan and England. The pitch was given a "below average" rating after the match in December. After reviewing the footage, the demerit point was rescinded.

According to ICC rules, BCCI has 14 days to appeal against the sanction. A venue can get suspended from staging international matches for a period of a 12 months if it amasses five or more demerit points over a five-year rolling period.