Ashes 2025-26: Sunil Gavaskar lashes out at ICC over pitching grades after Melbourne Test ends in two days
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has once again stirred up the debate around pitch evaluations by openly questioning the International Cricket Council (ICC). The big-hitting great has highlighted what he sees as double standards in the way tossing marks are awarded, using the recently concluded fourth Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as a prime example.
Two-day test raises questions about pitch evaluation
The Melbourne Test raised eyebrows after finishing in just two days, with the bowlers dominating from the very first session. A staggering 20 wickets fell on day one – the highest number in Australia on an opening day since 1951 – followed by a further 16 on day 2. In total, the match was over in just 142 overs, an unusually short duration for a Test match at one of cricket’s most iconic venues.
Despite the significant help provided to the bowlers, Gavaskar feels that the pitch is unlikely to attract criticism from the match officials. Drawing comparisons with the series-opening Test in Perth, which also finished in two days but received a glowing review, the former opener suggested the MCG surface could yet escape scrutiny.
Sunil Gavaskar hints at umpire ratings for MCG pitch
Gavaskar highlighted that the Perth Test pitch was rated “very good” despite similar conditions leading to an early finish. He added a sarcastic twist by suggesting Melbourne’s pitch rating might depend more on who is holding the umpire’s clipboard than the actual nature of the surface.
Gavaskar noted that with Jeff Crowe referee the Melbourne and Sydney tests instead of Ranjan Madugallethe wording of the note could easily change. He said removing the word “very” from “very good” might be the only visible difference, even though more wickets fell in Melbourne than in Perth.
“As there is a new match referee, Jeff Crowe, for the Melbourne and Sydney Test matches, the rating might be different. Since 36 wickets fell in the Melbourne Test instead of 32 in Perth, Crowe might drop the word ‘very’ from the ‘very good’ that Madugalle gave for the Perth ground and rate the MCG ground as good. The surprises never stop, of course, so we might get another rating.” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
ALSO READ: ‘I was in shock’: MCG curator breaks silence after two-day Boxing Day Test farce – Ashes 2025-26
Sarcasm targets the story of the “horrible gardeners”
The 75-year-old didn’t stop there. He also studied how Indian field curators are often portrayed by ICC match referees. Gavaskar sarcastically remarked that while Australian conservatives may commit the occasional “human error”, they are rarely called manipulative – a stark contrast to the harsh language often used towards Indian gardeners.
“The Tories, or as we found out about the head of the MCG, the Turf Manager, may make human error and get it slightly wrong, but they are not as sneaky as those ‘horrible groundskeepers’ in India who don’t even prepare a pitch and expect batters to score runs on it. Tut tut, “ Gavaskar added.
Also READ: Ashes 2025-26: Ben Stokes, Steve Smith slam MCG pitch after 4th Test ends in two days
