ICC Releases Border-Gavaskar Series Pitch Ratings, SCG Pitch Receives ‘Satisfactory’ Rating

January 8, 2025: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially released the pitch ratings for each Test match of the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia, and the results have been largely positive, with four out of the five pitches receiving the highest rating of “very good.”

The pitches at Perth Stadium, Adelaide Oval, Gabba, and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) were all rated as “very good.” These venues delivered exciting, competitive cricket, with pitches that produced fair contests between bat and ball, encouraging results across the matches. Meanwhile, the pitch for the final Test at Sydney Cricket Ground received a “satisfactory” rating, the second-highest on the ICC’s scale.

In 2023, the ICC revamped its pitch rating system, reducing the number of categories from six to four: very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and unfit.

Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling, expressed his satisfaction with the quality of the pitches used in the series. He acknowledged the hard work of the curators and venues across Australia, emphasizing that the goal was to create pitches that showcased the unique characteristics of each venue without favoring one side over the other. “We do not look to prepare wickets that favour the home side or suit our situation in a series. What we seek is a good contest between bat and ball and pitches that are likely to produce a result,” Roach said.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series lived up to expectations, with fierce competition between the two cricketing giants. India dominated the first Test in Perth with a 295-run victory, but Australia bounced back in the next three Tests, winning in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. The rain-affected match at the Gabba ended in a draw, which ultimately helped Australia secure the series victory.

Australia’s triumph not only marked a historic win in the Border-Gavaskar series but also earned them a spot in the World Test Championship 2023-25 final, where they will face South Africa at Lord’s. Meanwhile, the 1-3 series loss has ended India’s hopes of reaching the final of the World Test Championship, though they will undoubtedly look to bounce back in future campaigns.

This series reinforced Australia’s prowess in Test cricket and highlighted the significant role that quality pitches play in shaping a competitive, exciting contest between bat and ball.