The pitch served for the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test between India and Australia at Holkar Stadium in Indore is drawing flak from all quarters.

On a track that offered sharp turn, India were bowled out for 109 and 163 across the two innings and eventually lost the match by nine wickets inside three days.

After the game, legendary Australia captain Ian Chappell said he has no sympathy for the hosts as they ask for such pitches to play on.

“I’ve no sympathy for India if they have been asking for certain surfaces. If they ask one for the next Test, you hope the curator just tells them to mind their own business. The Indians need to shut up and get on with the cricket. Really, have they forgotten how they won in Australia? With good all-around cricket. Bear in mind, one of the big differences is there’s no Rishabh Pant on this Indian side. They’re now starting to see how important he is to them,” Chappell was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

The pitch for the third Test has been rated “poor” by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The apex body has also awarded three demerit points to the Indore pitch. Match referee Chris Broad in his report said that the pitch was not a fair competition between the bat and ball.

“India need to see the error of their ways. I’ve talked before about trying to prepare pitches that suit India… have India forgotten that they won the last two series in Australia? I go back to it again, what the hell are administrators, players, coaches, anybody outside the curator (doing?). Why the hell are they having an input for the pitch? It should be left to the curator, let him produce a pitch that he thinks is a good one. Let the players play on it,” he added.

Australia’s victory came after they suffered defeats in the first two Tests in Nagpur and Delhi inside three days.

Chappell said, “The key was to bowling India out cheaply in the first innings. Once they (Australia) did that they gave themselves a chance to get a decent lead. It wasn’t a huge lead but a decent and useful one.”

“And then, in the second innings only having to chase a low score after Australia lost an early wicket and then Head, in particular, decided to attack, that’s when Australia ran away with the game.

“So for me the key was getting India cheaply in the first innings and that took a lot of courage to turn things around from what had happened in the first two Tests,” he further remarked.

Calling Travis Head’s non-selection in the first Test as “ridiculous”, Ian Chappell said finally good sense prevailed in the Australian tour selection committee.

“That was ridiculous non-selection, stupidity that was but at least the Australians have seen the error of their ways,” he concluded.

The fourth Test between India and Australia will be held in Ahmedabad from March 9.