The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rated the Melbourne pitch where the third India-Australia Test as ‘average’ a year after it was rated poor for producing a dull Ashes draw. The rating received by the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from ICC is merely the minimum mark required for a cricket pitch to keep it from attaining demerit points. In case of a below average rating, it would result in one demerit point while poor rating constitutes three points.
The ICC introduced a disciplinary system at the start of the year in a bid to improve the standard of pitches around the world and can provide five ratings — very good, good, average, below average and poor — when rating Test venues. When a pitch receives five demerit points, it losses it’s international status.
Earlier, The ICC also rated the Perth pitch for the second Test between India and Australia as “average”.
In the third test of India’s tour of Australia, Virat Kohli and his men outclassed the Aussies to register a historic victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The Indian side won by a comprehensive 137 runs, with which they have taken a 2-1 lead in the four-match series. This also marked Indian cricket’s first time, to have taken a lead in a test series against Aussies in Australian soil.
While debutant Mayank Agarwal displayed a commendable knock on his maiden international outing, the experienced pair of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli ensured the Indian cricket team does not lose their momentum.
The Indian cricket team will now take to the field against the hosts in the final test of the series with a bid to seal a 3-1 win at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The final test will commence on January 3, 2019.
