The ICC has rated the pitch used for the second Test between South Africa and India as “unsatisfactory” after the match finished in less than two days, making it the shortest Test match ever. Only 107 were bowled over in all, losing 33 wickets; South Africa was bowled out twice, and India lost three in their last chase of 79. Referee Chris Broad made the decision based on the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, citing his worries about the quality of the pitch at Newlands.
“Batting on the pitch at Newlands was quite challenging. Throughout the game, the ball bounced swiftly and occasionally frighteningly, making it challenging to play shots. A number of batters were struck on the gloves, and the unusual bounce also caused many wickets to fall, according to Broad.
The pitching and outfield conditions are closely observed by the ICC. If the match referee finds that a pitch is not up to par, a stringent system is applied and the pitch loses demerit points. One demerit point is awarded for an inadequate pitch or outfield play. This demerit system has a lot of weight because six points will prevent a team from hosting international matches for a full year. When the points total twelve, this ban doubles to two years. It’s crucial to remember that these points have a limited shelf life; venues can redeem them before they expire after five years.
The Cape Town Test in summary
The Test folded early during the second session on Day 2, which was an unexpected turn of events. South Africa was bowled out for 55, their lowest Test total since readmission and against India, when acting skipper Dean Elgar won the toss and decided to bat under bright conditions. Mohammed Siraj claimed a career-high 6/15. India’s response was an equally wild journey, conceding six wickets for zero runs and going from 153/4 to 153 all out while maintaining a 98-run advantage.
In their second innings on the same day, Day 1, the hosts were marginally better when they came to bat, but not close enough to turn the tide of the match in their favour. Even as Aiden Markram resisted with one of the greatest hundreds in history, Jasprit Bumrah trailed Siraj and secured a six-wicket haul of his own. After South Africa was bowled out for 172, India had less than 80 runs remaining. Yashasvi Jaiswal gave India a fantastic start as the ghosts of 81 all out and 66 all out loomed. He raced to 28 off 23 balls with six fours before he, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli all fell in rapid succession. India levelled the match after Shreyas Iyer hit a four to score the winning runs.
How Rohit and legends responded
Many former cricket players, notably Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri, condemned the pitch, labelling it as “dangerous” for batting. During India’s second innings, Rohit was hit when a ball appeared out of nowhere and started to explode. Though an obviously upset Rohit expressed his agony, he didn’t really get into the Newlands pitch until the press conference following the game. The captain of India acknowledged that it was difficult, but he also emphasised that people should “keep their mouths shut” regarding the pitches used for Test matches back home in India, even though the squad has no trouble batting on them.
