The SCG pitch for the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India was dominated by pace bowlers who got sumptuous seam movement and some choppy bounce and was rated “satisfactory” by the ICC match umpire, with Cricket Australia saying: Evaluated. This is a “step in the right direction” for the playing surface.
Groundsmen used a new type of turf for this season’s Test pitch after trialling it in the Sheffield Shield last summer, resulting in the third-shortest Sydney Test ever, with results based entirely on deliveries bowled. I did it. Only two half-centuries were scored, one by debutant Beau Webster and the other by Rishabh Pant’s stunning 33-ball counterattack.
Australia opener Usman Khawaja called the pitch a “stink” after the match, but his captain Pat Cummins said he wanted things to tilt towards helping the bowlers, even if his side only needed a draw to win the series. India coach Gautam Gambhir, on the other hand, went further and said that such stadiums are important for the future of Test cricket.
However, former Australia captain Michael Clarke was highly critical of the surface. He told ESPN: “The SCG is my favorite stadium and home stadium in the world. I hate to say it out loud, but it’s the worst stadium I’ve ever seen in Sydney.” Around the ticket gate. “I didn’t think it was a good cricket wicket. Not only did the ball go up on the surface, but it was shot low towards the end of the second day.”
This is the second consecutive season that SCG has received a satisfactory rating, after receiving the same score in the Pakistan Test a year ago.
“We have no intention of favoring the home team or preparing a wicket for our situation in the series,” said Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s head of cricket operations and scheduling. “What we are looking for is good competition between bat and ball, a ball that looks like it will get results.
“SCG has been working hard to bring out its unique characteristics of early pace and bounce before the pitch wears out and spins. This year has been a step in the right direction towards achieving this and provides an exciting finish to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and bodes well for the team. “It’s also good for the 2025-26 Ashes summer.”
“Traditionally, it’s been very mild here and we’ve had a lot of draws, so a lot of people have been talking about draws: If you do that, you’re screwed, if you don’t, you’re screwed.”
Andrew McDonald
The pitch rating system was revamped in 2023, reducing the number of categories from six to four (very good, satisfactory, unsatisfactory and poor). Venues that receive an unsatisfactory or inadequate rating will be awarded penalty points.
The SCG has previously been criticized for its pitch not providing enough support for its bowlers, which, combined with poor weather, resulted in four draws in five seasons between 2018-19 and 2022-23.
Australia coach Andrew MacDonald said after the second day: “The ground staff have done an incredible job in getting a wicket with something in it.” “A lot of people have been talking about the draw because traditionally it’s pretty mild here and we’ve had a lot of draws. So damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I think he’s trying to get a draw. Bat and ball. Creating a level playing field between the two makes for exciting cricket.”
The remaining four stadiums in the series – Perth’s Optus Stadium, Adelaide Oval, Gabba and the MCG – were all rated “very good”.
