ICC rate first Test pitch as 'poor'

The Pune pitch that was described as ‘Martian’ by Test legend Shane Warne has been rated as ‘poor’ by International Cricket Council Match Referee Chris Broad.

The playing surface at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, which hosted its first ever Test last week, spun prodigiously from ball one in a match dominated by spin bowling.

In the wake of the first Test that lasted barely nine sessions, Broad submitted his report to the ICC, which has been passed on to the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The BCCI now have 14 days to provide a response, with the second Test in Bengalaru starting on Saturday.

Following the match, Australia captain Steve Smith, who made a brilliant second innings century, said the turning track played into the visitors’ hands.

Quick Single: Starc brings local nous to Bengalaru

“I think it was certainly a wicket would more likely suit the Indian players,” said Smith.

“I think it evened up the contest a lot more.

“We saw the way our spinners bowled on that, they were able to generate good spin and good natural variation out of the wicket.

“It was up to them (the MCA Stadium curators) to prepare a wicket they prepared a wicket that played in to our hands.

“It will be interesting to see what they come up with come Bangalore.”

Australia left-arm spinner Stephen O’Keefe starred in Pune, taking 12-70, the best match figures ever by a touring spinner in India.

Former India Test spinner Harbhajan Singh slammed the Pune pitch after the hosts were rolled for 105 and 107 inside three days.

“To be honest, that wasn’t a pitch. Test cricket should last five days,” Harbhajan told the Indian Express.

“You cannot play on such wickets where anyone runs in to bowl and takes wickets.

“I have played in over 100 Tests, and I know how hard I had to work to earn every single wicket.

“When you prepare such a wicket, you are making conditions favourable for the opposition as well.

“That’s what happened in Pune.

“When I say a good Test wicket, I mean a strip where the ball does not shoot up from the first day itself.”

Quick Single: History against India after first Test loss

Likened by Warne to the "surface of Mars", the Pune track saw 256 overs bowled on it, with 195 of them delivered by spinners.

But India captain Virat Kohli downplayed the impact of the playing surface, instead blaming his side’s batsmen for the 333-run upset loss.

"I don't think it (the Pune pitch) was any different from the turners that we played on in the past. We just didn't play good cricket," Kohli said on Saturday.

"They exploited it better than us. They put us under pressure throughout and deserved to win this game ... there are no excuses.

"Us batsman put us in that position. The batting was not up to standard and certainly how we shouldn't bat from here on.

"I would say it was sustained pressure from the Australian bowlers (and) the batsmen need to pull their socks up."

Test Squads

India (for first two Tests): Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandaran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Karun Nair, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund, Hardik Pandya.

Australia: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Stephen O'Keefe, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade

Australia's schedule in India

Feb 23-27, First Test, Pune

Mar 4-8, Second Test, Bengaluru

Mar 16-20, Third Test, Ranchi

Mar 25-29, Fourth Test, Dharamsala