ICC rating of Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad pitch where India lost World Cup final says THIS: Report

Much has been said about the pitch of Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad where hearts of a billion fan broke as Australia defeated India by 6 wickets in the finals of ICC World Cup 2023. The final game was played on the used pitch of Ahmedabad and behaved in a manner contrary to India's expectations. Amid the criticism around choosing a used pitch for the final match, International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed its rating for the Ahmedabad pitch.

Also Read: Ahmedabad pitch ‘backfired’ on India | Fans, cricket legends comment

As per a report by Times of India, the ICC's match referee Andy Pycroft has rated the Ahmedabad pitch as “average.” The report also mentioned that 5 of India's 11 games in the ICC World Cup 2023 were played on the pitches rated “average” by the international cricket body.

The development comes as the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) faced intense backlash on choosing the pitch of Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad for the final match. As per the reports, Australian skipper Pat Cummins raised some objection over the pitch, which was previously used for the India vs Pakistan match in World Cup fixtures.

After India lost the finals, former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting said that India's pitch ploy has “backfired.”

BCCI questions Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid

The rating by the ICC comes as earlier, news platform Dainik Jagran reported that BCCI questioned Team India skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid on the possible reasons behind India's loss in the World Cup finals. In is response, Rahul Dravid mentioned some reasons including the role played by the pitch of Ahmedabad.

Also Read: BCCI seeks answers from Rohit Sharma, Dravid for World Cup final loss

The BCCI officials including Secretary Jay Shah, Vice President Rajeev Shukla also discussed the plans for T20 World Cup next year with Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid and chairman of selection panel Ajit Agarkar in a separate 5-hour long meeting. As per the reports, the fate of Virat Kohli is discussed in that meeting and BCCI sources claimed that Kohli's spot in the T20 World Cup squad is not guaranteed.