'Would've given it the lowest possible rating' - Tim Paine blasts SCG pitch for Border-Gavaskar Trophy fixture

The Sydney Cricket Ground dished out an uncharacteristic green track for the final Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy as Australia ended up clinching a six-wicket victory to wrap up the series in convincing fashion.

However, the pitch came under scrutiny for the exaggerated seam movement and bounce it offered. None of the sides reached the 200-run mark as the pitched showed mulltiple signs of inconsistent bounce. The ICCl ended up rating the Sydney pitch as ‘satisfactory,’ which is the second-highest category. Former Australian skipper, Tim Paine, blasted the pitch in his latest blog.

“It meant batting relied more on luck than skill and although the ICC gave it a 'satisfactory' rating, I would have given it the lowest possible rating and effectively placed the SCG on notice: dish up something like that again and you will be suspended from hosting international cricket,” wrote Paine in his column for News Corp.

It's time to shape up or face the consequences: Paine

Paine further referenced a recent instance of the pitch at the SCG acting similarly offbeat.   

"It may seem extreme but this isn’t a new phenomenon in Sydney. The Sheffield Shield pitch dished up when Tasmania played at the SCG last season was disgraceful. It is time to shape up or face the consequences,” Paine further noted.

Notably, five matches were played in Sydney during the 2023-24 season of the Sheffield Shield. The average first innings score was merely 216. Historically, the SCG has been one of the most batting-conducive tracks in Australia.

Also Read: ICC releases pitch ratings for Border-Gavaskar Trophy, SCG pitch rated as 'satisfactory'

That’s the worst pitch I’ve ever seen in Sydney: Clarke

Former Australian skipper, Michael Clarke, denounced his home ground in a recent discussion too. 

“The SCG is my favourite ground in the world, it is my home ground, and I hate saying this out loud, but that’s the worst pitch I’ve ever seen in Sydney. I didn’t think it was a good cricket wicket, balls not just going up off the surface but shooting low at the end of day two,” shared Clarke during a conversation on ESPNcricinfo's Around The Wicket. 

India were bowled out for 185 and 157 in their two innings, respectively. Apart from Rishabh Pant, none of the batters seemed comfortable on a track which seamed around consistently due to the pronounced layers of grass.