The much-awaited docuseries The Test Season 2 was finally released on Prime Video on January 13 and ever since then, the untold story of the Australian Cricket Team has been buzzing among fans. For the unversed, The Test is a docuseries that focuses on Australian Cricket i.e. what goes behind the scene and how the cricketers cope with the change in dynamics of cricket. While season 1 of The Test mostly grabbed the headline due to Virat Kohli and his aggressive batting & leadership, the new season talks about multiple happenings in Australian Cricket i.e. Tim Paine's Sext Scandal, Justin Langer stepping down from the coaching panel, and last but not the least Australia Tour of Pakistan Test match series. Australia's tour of Pakistan was much hyped as the Kangaroos visited Islamabad after a span of 24 years to play cricket. However, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon in The Test Season 2 has called AUS vs PAK 1st Test in Rawalpindi as the worst game of cricket he has ever been a part of.
What Nathan Lyon said on Australia vs Pakistan Test series and why?
In one of the episodes, Nathan Lyon expressed his displeasure over the 'boring' and 'grinding' AUS vs PAK Rawalpindi Test and said, "Officially worst game of cricket I have ever been a part of." For the unversed, AUS vs PAK Rawalpindi Test concluded in a draw. It was a run galore at the Pindi Stadium as Pakistan scored 476 and 252 in both their innings, on the other hand the visitors scored 459. Interestingly, Pat Cummins-led squad could not get a single wicket in the second innings which resulted in Pakistan piling up 252 runs without losing any wickets. Although the score card suggests Pakistan's brilliant batting, the wicket of the Pindi stadium was widely criticised. In fact, the Pindi stadium wicket was called a 'dead rubber' where no spin, swing or even seam was visible.
ICC rated Rawalpindi's pitch 'below average'
The pitch in Rawalpindi from the historic first Test between Pakistan and Australia received a 'below average' rating from ICC Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle. Ranjan Madugalle rated the pitch at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi as “below average”, resulting in the venue receiving one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
The Test Season 2: When & Where to watch Australian cricketers’ docuseries on OTT
In his report, Madugalle said “The character of the pitch hardly changed over the course of five days and that there has been no deterioration apart from the bounce getting slightly lower. The pitch did not have a great deal of pace and bounce in it for the seamers nor assisted the spinners as the match progressed. In my view, this does not represent an even contest between bat and ball. Therefore, in keeping with the ICC guidelines I rate this pitch as below average.”
It is pertinent to mention here that Australia won the 3 match Test series by 1-0.