The India’s tour of Australia 2024-25 it ended with a win for the hosts, securing a dominant 3–1 win in the Test series. One of the matches in the series ended in a tie, adding an extra layer of excitement to the contest. After the series, Australian Cricket (CA) they revealed the ratings for all five venues that hosted the matches, according to the estimate International Cricket Council (ICC).
ICC rates BGT 2024-25 venues: Sydney Cricket Ground under scrutiny
The venues that hosted the series were scored based on a rating system that categorized them into four different groups: Very Good, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory and Unsuitable. The top four venues – Optus Stadium in Perth, Adelaide Oval, The Gabba in Brisbane and the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) all earned the highest rating of ‘Very Good’. This accolade highlights the quality of these grounds in hosting world-class cricket and providing players with excellent playing conditions.
While the last test of the series was held in Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)the site has been rated ‘Satisfactory’ by the ICC. The pitch in particular has come under a lot of scrutiny from both current players and cricket analysts. The surface has faced criticism for not meeting the standards expected for a Test match, with concerns about its tendency to crack and create challenges for batsmen.
Sunil Gavaskar criticizes SCG Pitch
Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar he criticized the Sydney Cricket Ground, saying it was not ideal for a Test match as it should last a fourth and fifth day. He pointed out that if 15 wickets had fallen in one day in India, there would have been widespread complaints. He also mentioned the Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrathremark about excessive grass on the field, questioning whether any former Indian cricketer had complained about it.
“This is not the ideal test match you want because you want it to go into days four and five. If 15 wickets had fallen (in one day) in India, hell would have broken out. Glenn McGrath said he had never seen so much grass. Have you heard any former Indian cricketer bemoaning the pitch?” Gavaskar commented during the series.
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Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith’s views on the SCG Pitch
Australia open Usman Khawaja he criticized the pitch, calling it “smelly” and noting that it was not a typical SCG wicket. He mentioned the presence of cracks, which makes hitting difficult. Despite the difficult conditions, Australia won, but Khawaja emphasized the challenge of playing on such a wicket.
“I won’t lie, I didn’t want to make too much of it beforehand, but the wicket was a stinker. It wasn’t like a traditional SCG wicket with new grass on it, there are cracks everywhere, it was hard to hit, the scoreboard will tell you that. Fortunately, we were on the right side of victory, but when it comes to a goal like that you are always on the edge of a knifeKhawaja said in an interview with ABC Radio.
Steve Smith he criticized the pitch, describing it as “double, up and down, hooking and swinging,” making it incredibly difficult to hit. He also noted that he had never encountered such a goal in SCG before.
“Per mile. He was in two steps, up and down, stitching all over the place, swaying. I have never played on such a wicket before in the SCG. It was incredibly difficultt”, said Smith in a conversation with the media.
Cricket Australia defends the SCG Pitch
Meanwhile, CA has responded to criticism of the SCG pitch by defending it, pointing out that the pitch aims to display early pace and bounce before it breaks down and turns. They pointed out that this year’s pitch was a step forward, contributing to a thrilling finish to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and offering positive prospects for 2025-26 Ashes series.
“SCG has sought to highlight its unique characteristics of early pace and bounce before the pitch wears and turns. This year was a step in the right direction to achieve that, providing a thrilling finish to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and bodes well for the Ashes summer of 2025-26.“, Cricket Australia stated.
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