Among all the good things about the India vs England series, one less mentioned fact is that the pitches on offer were great. All the five matches went to the fifth day, with something on offer for everybody. Often when India tours abroad, the pitches are inclined towards favouring the home team. However, this time the pitches were no bone of contention. Former India star Dilip Vengsarkar was happy that a good pitch showed the heights that Test can reach,

"I must appreciate the culture of Test cricket in England. There were huge crowds for all the Tests, and the sporting wickets ensured that the result of all five Tests was decided on the fifth and final day. This series, which will be remembered for ages, has revived interest in Test cricket among cricket lovers. It has increased Test cricket's importance. This shows that if you dish out good pitches, Test cricket can not just survive, but flourish too," Vengsarkar said in an interview to TOI.

Vengsarkar added that the onus is now on BCCI to prepare sporting wickets for the Test matches against West Indies and South Africa at home later this year.

"I hope that India do the same in their upcoming international season (two Tests each against West Indies and South Africa) and provide good, sporting wickets for Tests. The BCCI must not pander to the short-sightedness of captains and coaches, who are just looking for short-term gains by winning matches and qualifying for the World Test Championship final."

The Anderson-Tendulkar trophy turned out to be one of the most closely fought series ever to be played. With all matches going to 5 days, the series was eventually drawn 2-2, with India winning the final match by 6 runs at the Kennington Oval in London. The series produced incredible contests between the bat and the ball, where the batters enjoyed an advantage in the first few days and the bowlers gained more significance as the game progressed. The pitches prepared for the series, hence, also drew plenty of plaudits. But as far as ICC's ratings for the pitches are concerned, the verdict isn't the most pleasant.

Ratings for 4 of the 5 matches are out, with only the Headingly pitch (first Test) getting a very good rating. All the other pitches were rated 'satisfactory' by the apex board.

1st Test - Headingley, Leeds

Pitch Rating: Very Good | Outfield Rating: Very Good

2nd Test - Edgbaston, Birmingham

Pitch Rating: Satisfactory | Outfield Rating: Very Good

3rd Test - Lord's, London

Pitch Rating: Satisfactory | Outfield Rating: Very Good

4th Test - Old Trafford, Manchester

Pitch Rating: Satisfactory | Outfield Rating: Very Good

The ratings for the 5th and final Test at the Kennington Oval are yet to be confirmed.