The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday rated the  Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch, Bangalore , which was used for India’s second Test against Sri Lanka, as ‘below average’. Rohit Sharma and co had defeated the visitors by 238 runs in the Test which began on March 12 and ended inside three days.

In a report, ICC Match Referee for the game, Javagal Srinath said, “The pitch offered a lot of turn on the first day itself and though it improved with every session, in my view, it was not an even contest between bat and ball.”

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With the rating, the venue has received one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process and Srinath’s report has been forwarded to the BCCI.

As per the revised ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, when a pitch is marked poor and unfit it receives three and five demerit points respectively. 

“Demerit points remain active for a rolling five-year period and if it accumulates five demerit points or more, it is suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months,” the ICC states. 

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The Bangalore wicket was rated as below average by the ICC in 2017 after the second Test between India and Australia.

“No demerit point will be awarded when the outfield is rated as below average, but two and five demerit points will be awarded to venues whose outfields are marked as poor and unfit, respectively,” the ICC adds. 

The second Test saw bowlers picking 16 wickets on the opening day. Nine of them were taken by spinners. At the end of the day, Sri Lanka were 86/6 after bowling India out for 252.

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The visitors, in their second innings, were bowled out for 109 early on day two. They had to chase a mommoth target of 447 runs. However, they were bowled out for 208, losing the match by 238 runs.

The win boosted India’s rank, who whitewashed Sri Lanka 2-0, to No 4 in the World Test Championship Standings.