India vs Australia: Sachin Tendulkar slams ICC for Perth pitch rating; says it was not 'average' by any means

Indian cricket great Sachin Tendulkar has come out in support of the pitch used for the Perth Test match at the Optus Stadium. The pitch which resulted in an exciting contest in the second match between Australia and India was rated as “average” by the match referee Ranjan Madugalle. However, Tendulkar is of the opinion that more pitches like that of at Perth should be produced to “revive” Test cricket. “Pitches play a crucial role, especially in Test cricket. In order to revive Test cricket and generate excitement, we need to provide more pitches like the one at Perth, where the skills of batsmen and bowlers are truly TESTed. This pitch was by no means “Average”,” Tendulkar tweeted.

According to a report on in Cricket Australia website, the pitch was rated average by ICC because of the uneven bounce. “It is understood that match referee Ranjan Madugalle rated the pitch at the new Perth Stadium as ‘average’, which is the lowest pass mark provided by the ICC when they rate the pitch and outfield of Test grounds. The Perth verdict is presumably related to the uneven bounce that resulted in a couple of nasty blows,” the report stated. Earlier, former England captain Michael Vaughan had also criticised ICC’s decision. “And they wonder why Test Match cricket is struggling .. Was a tremendously exciting pitch which had a bit for everyone .. Should be more like this IMO”, Vaughan had tweeted.

Meanwhile, Aussie pacer Mitchell Starc feels that an average rating for a green, bouncy wicket tilts the game in the favour of the batsmen. “Cricket is turning out to be a batters’ game if you keep making flat wickets always. You want exciting contest between bat and ball,” Starc said ahead of the Boxing Day Test. “When the ball is flying around and batsmen have to play, that’s the game. Marcus Harris batted on after being hit and batsmen from both sides got hit on shoulders but carried on. It’s good aggressive cricket and it brings people to the game,” he added. Australia won the Perth Test by 146 runs to level series 1-1. The third match of the four-Test series starts from 26 December at Melbourne.