India head coach Rahul Dravid on Saturday (October 21) expressed his reservations against ICC’s decision to give ‘average’ rating to the pitches used for India’s World Cup 2023 matches against Australia and Pakistan.

For Dravid, it is important that ODI matches showcase a variety of skills and not just favour power-hitting.

The apex body had rated the pitches used in India's matches against Australia at Chepauk and Pakistan in Ahmedabad as ‘average’. In contrast, other pitches in the tournament received 'good' or 'very good' ratings from the ICC.

"I will definitely respectfully disagree with the average rating given for those two wickets. I think they were good wickets. If you only want to see 350 (run) games and rate only those wickets as good, then I disagree with that. I think you have to see different skills on display as well," Dravid said in a press conference.

While India bowled out Australia for 199 in 49.3 overs at Chepauk, the hosts restricted Pakistan’s innings to 191 all-out in 42.5 overs in Ahmedabad.

The Indian coach argued that solely favouring high-scoring games with boundaries is not a fair criterion for rating pitches.

"Some of the wickets, even we have played, I mean, honestly, in Delhi and Pune, rotating the strike in the middle overs wasn't necessarily a very difficult skill. The contest was about who could hit more 4s and 6s. So that's not the only way, in my opinion, respectfully, to be able to judge wickets. I think we need to have a better way of deciding what is good and average,” Dravid opined.

"Sometimes wickets will turn a bit, sometimes they will seam a bit, they will swing a bit, they will bounce a bit. All we want to see is sixes and fours being hit in 350 totals as good wickets, then I disagree," he further remarked.

Having defeated Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, India are on a four-match winning streak so far.

The Men in Blue are due to face table-toppers New Zealand in their next match in Dharamsala on Sunday (October 22).

(With PTI Inputs)