SCG pitch for final test between Australia, India gets only 'satisfactory' grade from ICC

The SCG has been widely discussed following the final Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, played between the teams of Australia and India. The pitch saw a heavy bias for pace bowlers with immense seam movement and odd bounce. On this pitch, the ICC match referee rated this as "satisfactory," while Cricket Australia termed it positive for the SCG in progress toward result-oriented pitches.

A Historic Test with a Quick Result

The SCG Test became the third-shortest in Sydney's history, in terms of balls bowled, and the one that was completed with a definitive result. The grounds staff had tried this new variety of grass on the pitch during the Sheffield Shield season, and the surface was very far from usual. It challenged batters while offering opportunities for bowlers.

Though conditions were rough on the day, two half-centuries gave notice about individual brilliance. The first was Beau Webster's effort on his debut while the second was a thrilling 33-ball counterattack by Rishabh Pant, although brevity with behaviour of pitch on the day was mixed reviews from all the players and experts involved.

Mixed Feelings

Australian opener Usman Khawaja bluntly called the pitch a “stinker,” expressing dissatisfaction with the conditions. In contrast, Australian captain Pat Cummins defended the surface, stating his preference for bowler-friendly conditions that provide results, even when a draw would have sufficed for his team's series victory. India's head coach Gautam Gambhir added his perspective, emphasizing that challenging pitches are vital for keeping Test cricket exciting.

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke, though, was pretty severe in his words. "The SCG is my favorite ground in the world, my home ground, and I hate saying this out loud, but that's the worst pitch I've ever seen in Sydney," Clarke said on ESPN's Around The Wicket. He cited that the lack of consistency in the bounce was one of the big issues, mentioning that balls shooting low even at the end of day two.

Progress for SCG Surfaces

It is the second consecutive season that SCG has gotten a "satisfactory" rating. A year ago, it was the same rating for the Test against Pakistan. The SCG has previously been criticized for producing benign surfaces that have seen matches end in draws, most notably between 2018-19 and 2022-23, during which four of the five Tests at the SCG ended in draws due to batter-friendly pitches and adverse weather conditions.

Head of operations and scheduling for Cricket Australia, Peter Roach felt positive about this year's outcome. "We don't look to prepare wickets that favor the home side or suit our situation in a series," he explained. "What we seek is a good contest between bat and ball and pitches that are likely to produce a result."

Roach praised the SCG’s efforts to showcase its distinctive characteristics, such as early pace and bounce, before the pitch transitions to assisting spinners. He expressed optimism that this approach bodes well for the upcoming Ashes summer in 2025-26.

A Balanced Perspective

Australian coach Andrew McDonald has weighed in with what he considers their grounds staff needs to learn by facing this new challenge: "Traditionally the SCG has been a fairly benign strip. We have seen a lot of draws and criticisms of that and now this too. You cannot win," said McDonald. And he also spoke well of how the staff set up the pitches to have good contest between the bat and ball, labeling this as "intriguing cricket".

In 2023, the ICC simplified its pitch rating system into four categories: very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory, and unfit. "Unsatisfactory" and "unfit" pitches accumulate demerit points, while "satisfactory" pitches, such as the SCG received, incur no demerit points.

Comparison Across the Series

The other four venues in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series—Perth's Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, the Gabba, and the Melbourne Cricket Ground—scored "very good" by the ICC. This difference even more strongly puts into light how different things have been on SCG pitches.

While many cricket fans may crib, the pitches which can make bat and ball have a contest are essentials to maintain Test cricket interest in it. Such an attempt at SCG towards the move from traditionally placid surfaces is, by all standards, bold; it remains in its infancy.

Going Forward

Such mixed reviews on the SCG pitch point towards a fine balancing act in terms of preparing surfaces that test cricketers, without losing sight of the real nature of Test cricket. Just in time for the Ashes, the SCG and Cricket Australia will likely look to incorporate these lessons learnt during this summer in order to try and balance the bat with the ball again during future clashes.

While the opinions are split, one thing is sure-the SCG's latest effort has sparked a conversation on the necessity of pitch preparation in shaping cricket's longest format for the future.