Explained: How are international pitches and outfields ranked by the ICC

“The character of the pitch hardly changed over the course of five days and there has been no deterioration apart from the bounce getting slightly lower. The pitch did not have a great deal of pace and bounce in it for the seamers nor assisted the spinners as the match progressed. In my view, this does not represent an even contest between bat and ball. ” Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees in ICC statement.

After every international Test match, ODI and Twenty20 the pitches and outfields are marked by the ICC Match Referee. Then the report is officially handed over to the host Member Board so that it is analysed and improved for future international games.

The performance of pitches and outfields are rated as - Very Good, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor, and Unfit.

If it is ranked as substandard, an explanation is demanded regarding the condition of the pitch or outfield. Depending upon the requirement, if any, ICC then decides on the sanctions that would be required for the venue.

Back in 2019, former captain, Virat Kohli had advocated for the longest format of the game to only be played in only five major cities across India so that visiting teams have a clear idea of the kind of pitches that they could expect during the tour.

That recommendation resurfaced this week in the backdrop of the third India-Australia Test being shifted from Dharamshala to Indore due to inappropriate ground conditions at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium.

The recently released ICC's 2023 pitch rankings show India's seven stadiums were ranked in the "Very Good" category. Among these was Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore where India and New Zealand met for their third ODI. However, after the first day of the third test match, looks like the pitch is not currently up to the mark. It would be interesting to see how the pitch behaves further and what the match referee's report says.