The third Test of the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 is currently underway at the Holkar Cricket Association Stadium ▨in Indore, and the Indian side have been cleaned up by Australia with mere 109 runs in their first innings on Day 1 itself.
Electing to bat first, India got off to a rough start and failed terribly to play the Aussie spinners. Virat Kohli (22) top-scored for the hosts in their first innings but couldn’t help his team reach a decent score. Shubman Gill also contributed 21 runs to the team’s total. Meanwhile, Matthew Kuhnemann took a five-wicket haꦐul for Australia and played a significant role in dismantling the Indian line🦹up.
Talking about Australia’s inning, the visitors are batting well and have scored 71 runs for the loss of one wicket till the Tea Break and trail by 38 runs with Usman Khawaja (33) and Marnus Labuschagne (16) still on the crease. On the other hand, Ravindra Jadeja gave India their first breakthrough in the form of Travis Head.
Notably, except for one runout, all the wickets 🃏in the first innings of India were bagged by the spinner as the Indore pitch show🌜ed a great turn on the very first day of the game. Reacting to the behaviour of the track, many questioned the pitch curator and expressed their disappointment.
Australia legend Brad Hogg took to Twitter and wrote, “One day test match anyone?” while veteran India opener Wasim Jaffer posted, “Looking at the pitch, not only Shami but I think Siraj and Umesh are also rested for this test.”
The fans on social media also didn’t shy away from calling out the sad state of the pitch and lambasted the ground staff for preparing such a track.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Australia restrict India for 109.
— betvisa68.com (@CricketTimesHQ)
One day test match anyone?
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg)
Looking at the pitch, not only Shami but I think Siraj and Umesh are also rested for this tesꦬt 😅
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14)
Not true : this is a terrible pitch for any generation. It isn’t about playing skills against spin, it’s about batting becoming a lottery. Difference between bad pitch and a difficult one. Frankly, ‘doctoring’ wickets has reached point of absurdity now. Must s🅘top
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep)
After see today's Pitch request to BCCI
— भाई साहब (@Bhai_saheb)
Geometry, Trigonometry sab seekhne ko mile﷽ga iss test match mai.
— mon (@4sacinom)
I truly ﷽do not believe a first day pitch should turn this much ever. Anywhere.
— Anthony Sherratt (@AnthonySherratt)
//twitter.com/_Cricpedia/status/1ꩵ630795067🐻232514048
Indore pitch be like…— Burnitdown (@Burnitdowwn)
Khalbali around pitch at Lunch. India coach Ra𝄹hul Dravid in the middle for a close look 😎
— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1)
I'm glad Aussies are in control of this test.
This pitch is absolutely terrible. It's a bad advertisement for test cricket. I hope commentators like and others speak out.
It's as boring as those test matches in Pakistan.
— Abilash (@abilash_s_90)
//twitter.com/ladywithflaws/status/16ꦬ3079532736741785ꦏ7
//twitt🃏er.com/Bazballing/status/1630ꩲ847748512661505
Absolutely. This 🦩is not Test cricket, but ꧂lottery. Taking it a bit too far with these pitches. Fans are being robbed here.
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula)
Those who bought day 4 and day 5 tickets of this match 🤣
— 👑Che_ಕೃಷ್ಣ🇮🇳💛❤️ (@ChekrishnaCk)
A confident India(Cricket) should be able to♛ criticise its own players, pitches & results; accept reasonable criticism from England & Aus; ignore a bit of criticism from Eng &a🐓mp;Aus; respond in kind to some criticism from Eng & Aus; & criticise Eng & Aus as well. No victim.
— Vijay A (@VAAChandran)
