ICC Gives Kolkata Test Pitch a “Satisfactory” Rating Despite Heavy Criticism

The pitch at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens — which hosted the first India vs South Africa Test in November and finished inside three days — has officially been rated “satisfactory” by ICC match referee Richie Richardson.

The Eden Gardens pitch in Kolkata, used for the first India–South Africa Test in November that concluded inside three days, has received a “satisfactory” rating from International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Richie Richardson.

This decision ensures the venue avoids penalty points, even though fans and experts questioned whether the pitch allowed for competitive Test cricket.

No ICC Sanctions for Eden Gardens Pitch

According to ESPNCricinfo, the ICC's rating system placed Eden Gardens safely above sanction territory.

According to ESPNCricinfo, the rating means the iconic venue will avoid any sanctions from the ICC, despite widespread criticism from fans and experts who felt the pitch failed to produce engaging Test cricket. India’s defeat in the match was their first Test loss at Eden Gardens in 13 years.

Where “Satisfactory” Stands in ICC’s Pitch Rating Scale

Under ICC guidelines, pitches are assessed across four levels:

• Very good

• Satisfactory

• Unsatisfactory

• Unfit

Under the ICC’s four-tier pitch-rating system, “satisfactory” is placed at level two, between “very good” and “unsatisfactory”. The lowest possible rating is “unfit”.

Why Short Tests Get Extra Scrutiny

Matches finishing early automatically undergo review due to competitive fairness concerns. Pitch reports for Tests that conclude within two to four days are closely scrutinised.

Recently, the Melbourne Boxing Day Test received an “unsatisfactory” tag when it wrapped in two days.

Recently, the surface used for the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) between Australia and England received an “unsatisfactory” rating along with a demerit point, after the match ended in just two days with no half-centuries scored across four innings and all 36 wickets falling to pacers.

How the Kolkata Pitch Played Out

The Eden Gardens wicket behaved inconsistently right from the start. During the Kolkata Test, uneven bounce was evident from the outset, with some deliveries rising sharply while others stayed dangerously low.

Advantage for Both Pace and Spin

As the Test progressed, spinners joined the act — while the pacers continued to dominate.

As the match progressed, spinners were able to extract increasing turn. The surface offered assistance to both pacers and spinners, with South Africa’s Marco Jansen taking three key wickets while defending 124 runs, and Simon Harmer claiming four wickets in each innings.

Jasprit Bumrah remained a bright spot for India. Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul was another highlight of the match.

Batting Woes Define the Test

No team managed to cross 200. No team crossed the 200-run mark in either innings, and India were bowled out for just 93 despite Axar Patel’s counter-attacking 26 off 17 balls, which included a four and two sixes.

India also suffered a setback when Shubman Gill was unable to continue. India captain Shubman Gill was unavailable for the remainder of the match after suffering a neck injury shortly after beginning his first-innings knock.

Gautam Gambhir Defends Pitch Strategy

Despite criticism, the Indian camp backed their approach. Amid the criticism, head coach Gautam Gambhir defended the pitch in his post-match press conference, saying, “This was exactly the pitch we were looking for.”

Series Context — South Africa Take Control

The next Test in Guwahati offered a more balanced contest — but the Proteas still dominated. The Guwahati pitch that followed was more balanced, but South Africa were equally improved, as the Proteas handed India their second successive home Test series defeat, following a 0–3 loss to New Zealand last year.