"I also don't think teams should be getting points for drawing a match" - Brad Hogg criticizes Ahmedabad pitch used for 4th IND vs AUS Test 

Former Australian spinner Brad Hogg labeled the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium used for the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as "poor and dead".

The fourth Test ended in a dull draw after only 22 wickets fell over the course of the five days, leading to India clinching the series by a 2-1 margin.

The pitches on offer during the four-match affair have been scrutinized, with the Holkar Stadium in Indore receiving a 'poor' rating by the ICC after the third Test ended within three days.

In stark contrast, the pitch for the fourth Test did not offer much assistance for the bowlers, leading to Usman Khawaja, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill all scoring hundreds and piling on runs for their respective sides.

Opining that the removal of points for a draw will prove to be an incentive towards an aggressive brand of cricket, Hogg said on his YouTube channel:

"It was an average pitch in the first two matches, a poor pitch in the third one. For me, the Ahmedabad pitch was very poor, even though there was a little bit in there for the bowlers, it was just a dead pitch and there was not much entertainment out there for the spectators.

"I also don't think teams should be getting points for drawing a match. I am just sick and tired of seeing draws being rewarded."

Based on the current rules set in place, teams are awarded four points for drawing a Test. In comparison, six points are credited for a tied contest while 12 points are awarded if a team wins a Test.

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"There should be bigger penalties for curators creating poor pitches" - Brad Hogg

While the verdict for the Ahmedabad pitch is yet to be revealed, it is not expected to be of a positive nature. Indian pitches have not been up to the mark in the recent past, with the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow also being in controversy.

The venue sported a wicket that yielded over 30 overs of spin in a T20I clash between India and New Zealand. The curator, who was responsible for preparing the wicket, was ultimately relieved of his duties.

Such harsher punishments should be the norm, believes Hogg, who said:

"There should be bigger penalties for curators creating poor pitches that are not suitable for Test cricket. There should be home advantage and teams trying to make their venues a fortress, but you cannot have games finishing inside three days, throughout the majority of a Test series."

Hogg concluded by saying:

"They have to produce pitches that at least go on for four full days. Four days of aggressive Test cricket is good enough for me."

India and Australia will next lock horns in a three-match ODI series, starting on Friday, March 17.

How should India improve the quality of their pitches? Let us know what you think.

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