Cricket fans around the world are reeling—and not just from the result. The latest Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) lasted a mere two days, reigniting a fierce debate about pitch quality, match integrity, and the very future of the game’s longest format. And who better to cut through the noise than the “Little Master” himself?
batting legend Sunil Gavaskar didn’t hold back. In a masterclass of razor-sharp sarcasm, he quipped: “Might drop ‘very’ from ‘very good’” — a pointed jab at the official pitch rating that branded the MCG surface as “very good” despite producing a Test that ended in spectacularly short order .
The Ashes 2025 series was already tense, but no one expected the MCG Test to be over by lunch on the second day. The pitch, which offered excessive seam movement, uneven bounce, and rapid deterioration, turned the contest into a bowler’s paradise and a batsman’s nightmare .
For a venue that hosts one of the most attended Test matches globally—with over 300,000 fans expected across five days—the financial implications of such a premature finish are staggering. Ticket holders, local businesses, and broadcasters all suffer when the main product, a five-day contest, evaporates in 48 hours.
Enter Sunil Gavaskar. Known for his incisive commentary and unwavering standards, Gavaskar zeroed in on the absurdity of the situation. The same pitch that produced a two-day farce was officially rated “very good”—a classification typically reserved for balanced surfaces that offer something for everyone over five days .
His comment, “Might drop ‘very’ from ‘very good,’” wasn’t just witty—it was a direct challenge to the credibility of pitch evaluation processes. If a surface that collapses in two days is “very good,” what, then, is a “poor” pitch?
Gavaskar didn’t stop there. He pointedly contrasted the MCG pitch with the one used in Perth earlier in the series. The Perth pitch, which offered pace and bounce but allowed for a competitive, four-day Test, was heavily criticized by some quarters—and its groundsman faced public scrutiny .
Yet, the MCG pitch, which produced an even shorter match, received a glowing official rating. Gavaskar’s subtle but powerful critique highlighted a perceived double standard in how groundsmen are judged: one is vilified for a lively but fair pitch, while another is praised for a surface that arguably failed its primary purpose—to facilitate a proper Test match.
Beyond the sarcasm lies a serious problem:
According to the ICC’s Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, a “very good” pitch should “provide a fair contest between bat and ball throughout the match” and “not deteriorate unreasonably” . A two-day Test with minimal batting resistance hardly fits that description.
The ICC rates pitches post-match and can penalize boards if a surface is deemed “poor.” However, the inconsistency in ratings—like the MCG’s “very good” tag—raises questions about enforcement and evaluation criteria.
This isn’t an isolated incident. From the 2021 India-England series in Ahmedabad (a one-day Test) to multiple subcontinental pitches favoring spin from Day 1, the trend of ultra-short Tests is growing. While variety in conditions is part of cricket’s charm, pitches that eliminate contest altogether threaten the format’s survival.
Gavaskar’s frustration echoes a broader sentiment among purists: Test cricket must preserve its essence. That means pitches that challenge but don’t sabotage, that test skill over five days, not two.
For more on pitch controversies and their impact, see our deep dive at [INTERNAL_LINK:pitch-analysis].
The MCG is more than a stadium—it’s a shrine to cricketing history. When a Test there ends in two days on a pitch rated “very good,” something is deeply wrong. Sunil Gavaskar’s sarcastic barb cuts to the heart of a systemic issue: inconsistent standards, lack of accountability, and the commercial pressures that may be compromising pitch preparation.
As fans, we don’t just want a result. We want a story—a five-day epic with twists, resilience, and drama. Anything less risks turning the crown jewel of cricket into a relic. And if that happens, even “very good” won’t be good enough.
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