A panel comprising Wasim Khan and Roger Harper reviewed footage from the Test. An ICC statement said that both Wasim, ICC’s general manager – cricket, and Harper, ICC men’s cricket committee member, felt that “the guidelines had been followed” by match referee Chris Broad, but “there was not enough excessive variable bounce to warrant the ‘poor’ rating”.
The other three pitches for the series – which India won 2-1 to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy – in Nagpur, Delhi and Ahmedabad have received “average” ratings.
Indore was not one of the original venues for the series, and were given short notice after the Dharamsala outfield was deemed below par. The BCCI announced the shift to Indore on February 13, about two weeks before the start of the game on March 1.
The last time a pitch in India was rated poor was in 2017, when Australia beat India on a similarly turning surface in Pune. Broad was match referee on that occasion too.
The ICC rates pitches in six categories: very good, good, average, below average, poor and unfit. If any ground receives five or more demerit points in a five-year rolling period, it is suspended from hosting any international cricket for 12 months.