ICC labels Newlands pitch in South Africa vs. India test as 'Unsatisfactory'

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has declared the pitch at Newlands in Cape Town for the second Test of the ICC World Test Championship series between South Africa and India as "unsatisfactory" under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.

ICC Match Referee Chris Broad, in his report, expressed the concerns raised by match officials, highlighting the difficulties faced by players due to the unpredictable bounce of the ball. Captains Dean Elgar and Rohit Sharma also shared their dissatisfaction, collectively agreeing that the pitch fell below the expected standards. As a consequence of this evaluation, the venue has incurred one demerit point.

Mr. Broad elaborated on the challenges faced by batsmen, stating, "The pitch in Newlands was very difficult to bat on. The ball bounced quickly and sometimes alarmingly throughout the match, making it difficult to play shots. Several batters were hit on the gloves, and many wickets also fell due to the awkward bounce."

The repercussions of this decision are not limited to the demerit point, as Cricket South Africa now has a 14-day window to appeal against the sanction.

The controversy surrounding the Newlands pitch reached its peak as the second Test between South Africa and India concluded in just two days, with a total of only 642 legal deliveries bowled throughout the match. The hosts' first innings ended in embarrassment with a mere 55 runs on the board, while six Indian players returned to the pavilion without troubling the scorers.

During the second innings, the struggles continued for the home side, failing to reach 200 runs. India, with a modest target of 79, secured a seven-wicket victory, leveling the series 1-1. The standout performer, Mohammed Siraj, earned the player of the match accolade for his remarkable performance in the first innings of the Test.