The International Cricket Council has decided to investigate the Nagpur pitch on which the third Test between India and South Africa lasted less than three days.

The ICC announced on Tuesday that the Nagpur pitch has been rated as ‘poor’, triggering a review of the performance of the pitch under the ICC Pitch Monitoring Process.

Match Referee Jeff Crowe submitted his report to the ICC, expressing the concerns of the match officials over the performance of the pitch. This report has been forwarded to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which now has 14 days to provide its response.

After the BCCI has submitted its response, ICC’s General Manager – Cricket, Geoff Allardice, and the ICC’s Chief Match Referee, Ranjan Madugalle, will consider all the evidence, including studying video footage of the match, before reaching their decision on whether or not the pitch was poor and if so, whether a penalty should be imposed.

The pitch has been heavily criticised by former players and fans after India beat South Africa by 124 runs to clinch the four-match series 2-0. The final Test will be played in New Delhi starting on Thursday.

Others, including India team director Ravi Shastri, former India captain Sourav Ganguly and former South African spinner Pat Symcox have defended the surface and insisted that the batsmen of both teams didn’t apply themselves well enough.

South Africa were bowled out for 79 in their first innings and 185 in their second, while India managed scores of 215 and 173.