Pune Pitch Labeled 'Poor' By ICC Match Referee, BCCI Have 14 Days To Respond 1
ICC match referee Chris Broad has termed the Pune surface as Poor.

The pitch of the first Test match between India and Australia in Pune has been rated as ‘poor’ by the ICC match referee Chris Broad, who submitted his report to the International Cricket Council post the game. BCCI, on the other hand, has been given a 14-day bracket to response on the matter.

The match which ended under three days 33 of the 40 wickets falling to spinners. The surface looked broken and dry from the day one, as Shane Warne also called it as the eighth day surface while doing pitch reporting minutes before the toss. The match also saw Australia registering a famous win over the hosts by 333 runs, putting an end to India’s 19-match unbeaten streak at home.

For any pitch that has been tagged as poor, for instance in the case of Pune, a penalty can range from a warning and/or a fine of USD 15,000 with a direction to take corrective measures. However, the report of BCCI would be reviewed by ICCs General Manager Cricket, Geoff Allardice and Ranjan Madugalle from the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees.

The ICC has some listed categories for pitches, mainly; very good, good, above average, below average, poor and unfit. 

 
Incidentally, since the Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process began in 2010, the Nagpur wicket used for the 2015 Test between India and South Africa was also rated poor.Though, reported earlier, Pune’s pitch reporter Pandurang Salgaoncar had warned BCCI before preparing such a surface that the outcome could fall out of Indfavourtoo, which eventually happened.

Gautam Sodhi

I am more than just a cricket lover. I have been breathing this game since I was three, and now I am making a living out of it. Also, FC Barcelona happens to be my second love, and evidently, I prefer...