ICC match referee Javagal Srinath deemed the Bangalore pitch 'below average' as the venue will receive one demerit under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
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India won the second Test by a massive 238 runs margin against Sri Lanka on Day 3 and swept the series 2-0. However, the pitch at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore used for the pink-ball Test between India and Sri Lanka, has come under major criticism as it was deemed ‘below average’ by ICC match referee Javagal Srinath.
After a close assessment of the pitch, Javagal Srinath in his report said, “The pitch offered a lot of turn on the first day itself and though it improved with every session, in my view, it was not an even contest between bat and ball.”
According to the revised ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, venues whose pitches are rated below average by match referees receive one demerit point, while three and five demerit points are awarded to venues whose pitches are marked as poor and unfit respectively. Demerit points remain active for a rolling five-year period and if it accumulates five demerit points or more, it is suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months.
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All-round India continued their fine run across formats under new captain Rohit Sharma as they bundled out Sri Lanka to 208 runs in the second innings on Day 3 of the second Test to clinch a massive victory by 238 runs. The victory also helped the hosts register a 2-0 whitewash over Sri Lanka.
Resuming the day at 28/1, trailing by 419 runs, Dimuth Karunaratne (107) and Kusal Mendis (57) showed resilience in the early hours to forge a 97-run stand for the latter was sent back by veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Karunaratne, however, led from the front and played a captain’s knock in his stay of 175 deliveries. His innings was laced with a spectacular 15 boundaries as even former India captain Virat Kohli applauded him on reaching a fantastic century under testing conditions.
The Sri Lankan captain, however, failed to get support from the other end — Angelo Mathews (1), Dhananjaya de Silva (4), Niroshan Dickwella (12), Charith Asalanka (5) — failed to show fighting spirit against a formidable India bowling line-up and fell like a pack of card.
Following his dismissal, lower-order batters Lasith Embuldeniya (2), Suranga Lakmal (1), Vishwa Fernando (2) and Praveen Jayawickrama (0), also did not contribute much to the team’s tally.
Veteran spinner Ashwin displayed his prowess with the ball as he was the wrecker-in-chief for India in the second innings, returning figures of 4/55, by running through the Sri Lankan top and lower-order.
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