Ind vs Eng: ICC rates the pitch used in the third match “average”

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday said that the pitch that had been used for the third Test between India and England was “an average” pitch. The pink-ball Test got finished within two days. It had garnered a lot of criticisms. England made 112 and 81, India too could manage 145 in their first innings.

Former English captain Michael Vaughan criticised the pitch tremendously on Twitter. He wrote in the Daily Telegraph: “The longer powerful countries like India are allowed to get away with it the more toothless the ICC will look.”

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“The governing body are allowing India to produce whatever they wish and it is Test cricket that is getting hurt,” he wrote.

While Indian skipper Virat Kohli had shunned the criticisms calling the incident “bizarre”.

“I have never experienced this before. A bizarre game which got over in two days,” Kohli told after the match.

“We were 100 for 3 and then got bowled out for less than 150. It was just the odd ball turning and it was a good wicket to bat in the first innings. It was bizarre that 21 of the 30 wickets fell to straight balls. Test cricket is about trusting your defence. Lack of application ensured it was a quick finish,” Kohli said.