- By Namrata Vijay
- Fri, 08 Aug 2025 03:50 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IND vs ENG: The three surfaces used during the first four Test matches haven't received a top rating by the ICC. Except for the pitch used in Leeds, Headingley, none of the surfaces got the 'very good' rating by the ICC.
The batting-friendly surfaces in England had become debatable in the recently concluded five-match Test series. The Shubman Gill-led side came from behind as they were trailing by 2-1 and leveled the series and didn't let the host win their home series. It should be noted here that all five Test matches went down to the fifth day, where just one match couldn't produce a result, which was the fourth Test match in Manchester, which ended in a tie as the visitors batted for almost two days.
Pitch and Outfield Ratings for the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy
1st Test – Headingley, Leeds
Pitch: Very Good | Outfield: Very Good
2nd Test – Edgbaston, Birmingham
Pitch: Satisfactory | Outfield: Very Good
3rd Test – Lord’s, London
Pitch: Satisfactory | Outfield: Very Good
4th Test – Old Trafford, Manchester
Pitch: Satisfactory | Outfield: Very Good
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The pitches of the recently concluded series performed better than those used in the 2023 Ashes, where none of the surfaces got a very good rating. It should be noted here that two of those surfaces used in Birmingham and Lord's were rated as just average. And the five surfaces used in the Test series against Australia were rated as 'very good'.
How are pitches rated?
Till 2023, the ICC had used a six-tier pitch rating system-Very Good, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor, and Unfit. But now, it has come down to four categories- Very Good, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory, and Unfit.
The Ben Stoke-led side had won the series opener by chasing a mammoth target of 373 runs during the fourth innings. The surface in Leeds slowed down eventually and became batter-friendly, which suited the host Bazball approach.
During the second match, the Men in Blue completely dominated, posting mammoth targets of 587 and 474 runs and winning the match by 336 runs. They had become the first Asian team to have won a Test match in Birmingham.
The surface at the Lord's not getting a very good rating surprised a few people. The historic venue witnessed a nail-biting thriller as it was a well-balanced match between the bat and the ball. The visitors, who were chasing 195 runs, lost the match by 22 runs during the fourth innings.
The rating for the surface at the Oval, where the fifth and last Test match was held, hasn't been rated yet. It should be noted here that the fifth Test match was also quite balanced between bat and ball. The hosts were right on track while they were chasing a target of 374 runs, as they were 301/3 on the back of brilliant hundreds by Joe Root and Harry Brook. But the Men in Blue made a brilliant bounce back on the back of bowling prowess by Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj.
The fifth Test match also went towards the fifth day as rain played a spoilsport towards the fag end of the day on Day 4. The Ollie Pope-led side needed just 35 runs to win the match during the morning session of Day 5, but Mohammed Siraj's match-winning bowling performance helped them win the match by a narrow margin of six runs.