The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association on Tuesday issued a clarification after getting a poor rating from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the third Test between India and Australia in Indore.
The match ended inside three days yet again as Australia bounced back to defeat India by 9 wickets at Holkar Stadium.
The batters from both teams struggled on the pitch which started to turn big from the first ball itself.
Notably, the third Test was shifted to Indore from Dharamsala just a few days before the match as the Himachal Pradesh stadium was not ready to host an international game.
The MPCA president clarified that they had nothing to do with the pitch as curators from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had prepared the 22-yard strip.
BCCI curators prepared Indore pitch
“Two curators from BCCI had come eight to ten days before the match. The pitch was prepared under their supervision. The MPCA had no role in making the pitch.
“I want to make it clear that just like any other state board association in international matches, MPCA has no role in making the pitch. BCCI curators come and they get the direction from BCCI along with the Indian team management,” MPCA chief Abhilash Khandekar told TOI.
“As far as match finishing in three days is concerned, we have seen such of matches in Nagpur and Delhi also. There has been criticism of the pitch but if you will see the post-match conference, both captains have supported the pitch so we have nothing to add,” he added.
The pitches in the first two Tests were also in the news even before the matches were played on them but they received ‘average’ rating from the ICC.
Neither team managed to score 200 runs in any innings in Indore. India made 109 and 163 in both innings while the Aussies managed 197 and 78/1 to win the game.
