The pitch rating for the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy for the five-Test series between England and India has been revealed. The ICC has not given three of the pitches used in the first four Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy matches a top rating.

None of the other pitches were able to receive the top "Very Good" classification from the international governing body, with the exception of the Headingley surface in Leeds.

During the hotly contested five-Test series between England and India, the batting-friendliness of English pitches came under scrutiny. India overcame a 1-2 deficit to tie the series and prevent England from winning the home series.

It is noteworthy that all five Test matches proceeded to the last day, with only one match ending in a draw after India batted for almost two days in Manchester.

Compared to the 2023 Ashes, where none of the five pitches were rated as "Very Good," the surfaces selected for this well-known series performed better. Actually, only "Average" was assigned to two of those, Lord's and Edgbaston. The highest rating of 'very good' was given to four out of the five pitches used for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

A six-tier pitch rating system was used by the ICC until 2023: Very Good, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor, and Unfit. Since then, it has been condensed into four categories: Unfit, Very Good, Satisfactory, and Unsatisfactory.

After chasing down 373 in the last innings, England won the first Test match at Headingley. Leeds' pitch gradually slowed, making it better for batting—conditions that matched England's high-risk batting approach, sometimes referred to as "Bazball."

India demonstrated their superiority in the second Test by scoring 587 and 427 runs, ultimately winning by 336 runs. India became the first Asian team to win a Test match at the storied Birmingham stadium under the leadership of Shubman Gill.

It's surprising that the Lord's pitch wasn't rated as "Very Good." With a more evenly distributed struggle between bat and ball, the historic ground produced an exciting match. In the last innings, India, chasing 195, was only 22 runs short.

The pitch at The Oval, the site of the thrilling fifth and final Test, has not yet received a rating. Interestingly, The Oval also provided a more level playing field for bat and ball.

Pitch and Outfield Ratings for the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy

1st Test – Headingley, Leeds

Pitch: Very Good | Outfield: Very Good

2nd Test – Edgbaston, Birmingham

Pitch: Satisfactory | Outfield: Very Good

3rd Test – Lord’s, London

Pitch: Satisfactory | Outfield: Very Good

4th Test – Old Trafford, Manchester

Pitch: Satisfactory | Outfield: Very Good

(Times of India inputs)