The BCCI are standing behind the Nagpur pitch, on which the third Test between India and South Africa was played, after the ICC rated it as ‘poor’ in a recent report.

The Test, which India won by 124 runs, didn’t last even three days and was criticised by pundits and fans alike.

The International Cricket Council decided to investigate the Nagpur pitch after it was rated as ‘poor’ in match referee Jeff Crowe’s report on the match.

It triggered a review of the performance of the pitch under the ICC Pitch Monitoring Process, but the BCCI will contest it because they believe Crowe’s report is ‘inconsistent’.

A top BCCI official told ESPNCricinfo the assessment that the Nagpur pitch was ‘poor’ was not right, and that the BCCI was going to contest it strongly.

‘The report says the ball “spun” on day one,’ he said on the sidelines of the IPL Governing Council meeting in Delhi. ‘It says “excessive turn” only for day three.’

However, it is worth noting that the ICC’s guidelines on what qualifies as a poor pitch is ‘excessive assistance to spin bowlers, especially early in the match’ and not just early in the match.

‘Excessive turn is subjective,’ the official said. ‘It depends on how the bowler uses it. I don’t think there was anything wrong with the surface.’