The pitch received a below-average rating in the report submitted by ICC Match Referee for the game, Javagal Srinath. As a result, the venue will receive one demerit under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.

In the report, Srinath said: “The pitch offered a lot of turn on the first day itself and though it improved with every session, in my view, it was not an even contest between bat and ball.”

According to the revised ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, venues whose pitches are rated below average by match referees receive one demerit point, while three and five demerit points are awarded to venues whose pitches are marked as poor and unfit respectively. Demerit points remain active for a rolling five-year period and if it accumulates five demerit points or more, it is suspended from hosting any international cricket for a period of 12 months.

Bowlers dominated proceedings on the first day of the Test, with a total of 16 wickets falling on the opening day, nine of which were picked up by the spinners. At the end of the day, Sri Lanka were 86/6 after bowling India out for 252.

Two Georgian athletes have had their accreditation revoked from the Tokyo Olympics after they were spotted leaving the athletes village to visit friends in Japan .On Saturday, Olympic organizers said they had revoked accreditation of Games related people for leaving the athletes village for sightseeing, which is a violation of measures imposed to hold the Olympics safely amid the pandemic. Later, the Georgian Olympic Committee confirmed that two of its athletes who had already completed their events had left the Olympic compound.