Indore pitch rated poor following third Test between India and Australia

The third Test in the four-match series lasted a little over two days, with 26 of the 31 wickets falling to spin

The pitch at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, which staged the third Test between India and Australia, has been rated "poor" by the ICC.

The Test, the penultimate match in the series, lasted just two days and one session, with neither side able to score more than 200 runs in an innings.

India were bowled out for 109 and 163 while Australia posted a first-innings total of 197 before chasing 76 in 18.5 overs on day three to seal a nine-wicket win.

Of the 31 wickets to fall across the Test, 26 were taken by spinners, with both Matthew Kuhnemann (5 for 16) and Nathan Lyon (8 for 64) taking five-fors. Usman Khawaja (Australia) and Cheteshwar Pujara (India) were the only players to pass 50 with the bat.

^{The pitch is swept during a drinks break on day two [Robert Cianflone/Getty Images]}

^{26 of the 31 wickets in Indore fell to spin [Robert Cianflone/Getty Images]}

Following a negative report from match referee, Chris Broad, Holkar Stadium has received three demerit points. The BCCI have 14 days to appeal the verdict.

"The pitch, which was very dry, did not provide a balance between bat and ball, favouring spinners from the start," Broad said.

"The fifth ball of the match broke through the surface and continued to occasionally break the surface, providing little or no seam movement, and there was excessive and uneven bounce throughout the match."

The third Test had been due to be held in Dharamshala but was switched to Indore in mid-February due to concerns about the state of the outfield.

According to the ICC pitch and outfield monitoring process, a venue will be suspended from hosting any international cricket for 12 months if it accumulates five or more demerit points over a five-year rolling period.

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