The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) could be fined almost $A20,000 for producing a “poor” pitch in Pune, where the first Test finished inside three days.
The controversial wicket, which was likened to “the surface of Mars” by Shane Warne, provided plenty of assistance for spinners from both Australia and India.
Steve O’Keefe spun the visitors to a 1-0 lead in the four-Test series by claiming a haul of 12-70, the best ever match figures by a visiting spinner in India.
Pune curator Pandurang Salgaonkar was forced to kowtow to BCCI chief curator Daljit Singh in the lead up. An Indian Express report claims ground staff were ordered to doctor the pitch, including the use of metallic brushes to scuff up the dry deck.
Match referee Chris Broad branded the pitch “poor” in his formal report. The BCCI now has 14 days to provide a response to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The ICC will then review the matter and has the power to issue a warning or fine of $US15,000 (approximately $A19,500).
A similar scenario played out in Nagpur in 2015, when South Africa were spun out on a raging turner inside three days. Match referee Jeff Crowe rated that strip as “poor”.
Even if the BCCI is fined the full amount, it will amount to pocket change for the world’s most powerful cricket organisation.
The expectation is the pitch for the second Test, which starts in Bangalore on Saturday, will be far flatter.
The Pune track was widely criticised by former India players, with Sunil Gavaskar, Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan Singh all slamming it for helping Australia’s cause.
Australia skipper Steve Smith suggested the hosts “played into our hands” by preparing the dry deck that delivered Australia’s first Test win in India since 2004.
Chief executives from cricket boards around the world flagged the need for stricter pitch punishments earlier this month at a round of ICC meetings.
“Venues and boards should be more accountable for the standard of pitches and outfields they present for international matches,” the ICC said in a statement.
However, the proposed demerit point system would punish individual venues instead of boards. In this instance, the BCCI was reportedly responsible for the pitch doctoring.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Fines should be huge and Test playing center should be banned for 5 years.
Sideline
Guest
Thing is, even if they are fined, what is 20,000 to the BCCI? The ICC needs to hand out real disincentives, or these pitches will not go away.
Rob
Guest
The winning of the Toss worked out well for Australia. I think looking at the pitch it was a great relief to many players that they would be not batting last. The fact Australia was fresh and kept India in the field for 94 overs also helped. If India had caugth their chances we may well be discussing the poor batting from both teams. Mentally India were shot once Australia had a 270 plus lead on that pitch with 2 spinners liking their lips.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Australia got 250+ in both innings, india barely 100 in both innings. I don't know that the toss had much to do with it.
Garry White
Roar Pro
A fine. that would be sweetly ironic. They forgot the first rule of preparing a dodgy pitch or an absolute road... Make sure you win the toss!
jameswm
Roar Guru
The Aussies aren't pressing charges.
AlanC
Guest
Sadly true Bakkies.
qwetzen
Guest
Any word on how much India are going to be fined for abusing DRS?
Bakkies
Guest
Like pigs could fly that the BCCI will get fined. If the ICC was truly run by NZ/Aus/Eng and SA they would get a fine then they would be declared racist for enforcing the playing regulations.
Jameswm
Guest
Great psychological call by Smith for saying the pitch played into Australia's hands. This type of pitch is our biggest nightmare, so Smith has made sure we won't get one again. A low slow road will be next, but the Indian bloke who has been helping our spinners said they have done a lot of work on pitches like that too. As if the BCCI cares about a $20,000 fine - that's probably one lunch. It is fascinating that it has come out that the BCCI curator told the Pune curator what to do - use a brush, don't water it etc. Did they use the brush at night when no one was watching? Who could have known watching Ashwin turn it sideways in the 2nd over on the 1st morning of the test what would happen? It is a great Aussie sport story.
BrainsTrust
Guest
The mystery of this pitch was the original curator said it was going to be good for the quicks 2 days before. Not watering the pitch is not going to get rid of the grass so quickly. Mettalic brushes that explains everything, so if you send a gang of hatchet men with mettalic brushes to work the pitch over,its going to be done unevenly , hence one spot spins and another doesn't ,also one would think they would have done it under the cover of darkness its easy to get carried away and they went a lot farther than originally intended.