India Face 3-Points Penalty in Race to World Test Championship Final if Pitch Rated ‘Poor’
The rules further state the conditions that make the pitch poor and one of the conditions is about assistance to spin bowlers from early on. "The pitch offers excessive assistance to spin bowlers, especially early in the match."
Chennai, February 15: With the MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch for the second Test helping spin bowlers from the first session of the first Test, there have been calls to dock India points in the World Test Championship (WTC) table for producing a below-par surface even as Virat Kohli's boys are fighting to qualify for the WTC final. The International Cricket Council (ICC) rules say that if a pitch is rated poor then the home team would be docked three points.
"A poor pitch is one that does not even allow an even contest between bat and ball, either by favouring batters too much, and not giving the bowlers (seam and spin) from either side sufficient opportunity to take wickets, or by favouring the bowlers too much (seam or spin), and not giving the batters from either team the opportunity to make runs," states the rules leading to the docking of points. India vs England 2nd Test 2021 Stat Highlights Day 3: Ravi Ashwin Enters Record Books As Hosts Near Victory.
The rules further state the conditions that make the pitch poor and one of the conditions is about assistance to spin bowlers from early on. "The pitch offers excessive assistance to spin bowlers, especially early in the match."
The wicket for the second wicket started helping spinners from the first session of the first day and it remains to be seen how match referee Javagal Srinath will write on it. India vs England Highlights 2nd Test 2021, Day 3.
India are currently placed fourth on the WTC table at the moment and need to win the series 2-1 or 3-1 to play New Zealand, who have already qualified, in the final in June at Lord's, London, in England. India had 430 points in 14 Tests and 68.3 percentage of points ahead of the second Test.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 15, 2021 11:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).