Despite a rain-free morning and bright sunshine later in the day, the match on day three of the second Test between India and Bangladesh was called off without a ball being bowled at the Green Park Stadium. The unexpected cause? A 'wet outfield'. Frustration grew as both teams remained in their hotels while match officials inspected the pitch three times, all without cover. But no games were played, so two days were now lost due to rain. Shiv Kumar, the pitch curator of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), claimed that everything was under control in Kanpur. But he admitted there was confusion over the match officials' reservations. “They gave us three different times to inspect, but never told us what was going on. What area was wet or whatever is the problem. I told them that you can start the match, but if you have any concerns, let me know,” he told IANS.
With the morning and lunch sessions already lost, match referee Jeff Crowe carried out multiple inspections but the waterlogged spots on the pitch, especially in the deep mid-wicket area at Pavilion C, left him dissatisfied.
The 30-metre damp circle also continued to cause concern, leading to the field inspection being postponed until 2pm. Crowe, along with reserve referee Virender Sharma and TV referee Rod Tucker, pushed for a further postponement, hoping sunlight would allow the affected areas to dry before play could resume.
Before the third inspection, scheduled for 2 pm, a senior ground official told IANS that the match officials wanted the ground to dry with natural light but they were never told about the exact area of the wet spot.
“The match officials have asked us to wait for natural light, only then can we continue playing. The pitch and other part of the ground are fine, there are certain areas of concern, but we can start playing.”
“If they want to wait for sunlight, they should have given the next inspection at 1 p.m. because there is always some sunlight that dries the area in question within an hour. We have already lost two sessions, the next inspection at 2 pm will result in us having to call off the match,” a ground official working at the stadium told IANS.
Spectators traveling from different parts of the state expressed frustration over the ground facilities at Green Park, leaving them disheartened and wanting UPCA to take good care of one of the oldest stadiums in the country, which has been hosting Test cricket since 1952.
“I feel deeply bad, Green Park is one of the oldest stadiums and we got a test match after three years. The match should have gone on all five days. It is the UPCA and the race organizers who should be blamed. They don't take good care of it. We come from different parts of the state and invest money to watch the match but what is the use of this,” said a fan from Fatehpur.
Another fan from Kanpur said: “Ye Green Park ko kuch ni milna chahie, yahan sab gadbad chal raha hai. Mahaul aisa banate hain jaise kitni suvidhaein hain but they can't even have a game on a day when it was actually sunny. Green Park shouldn't get a match. I like to travel to Lucknow or Varanasi, but not to Green Park.”
The teams had played just 35 overs in the entire match so far, with Bangladesh at 107 for 3. The delay has led to fresh criticism of the stadium's drainage system, with questions raised over its readiness to host international matches .
When rain hampered operations on the first day, the ground crew tried to dry the surface using sawdust and cover the field, but the efforts were futile. Even with 75 groundsmen working tirelessly, the wet spots stubbornly persisted, disappointing the thousands of spectators in the stands eager to witness a Test match.
This is not the first time such problems have arisen. Memories of the recent Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida came flooding back – when poor field conditions led to the match being abandoned earlier this month without a ball being bowled.
The venue's director Sanjay Kapoor assured before the match started: “We are guaranteeing a five-day match here at the Green Park Stadium and we have ensured that everything is in place. We are prepared for rain, but I assure you that even if rain comes, we will start the match in an hour or two.”
The BCCI sources have suggested to IANS that the Green Park Stadium could miss out on future international matches, with Lucknow's Ekana Stadium – a state-of-the-art facility with superior infrastructure – emerging as the preferred alternative.
The Ekana Stadium has already hosted a Test match between Afghanistan and West Indies, apart from being a home ground for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and hosting the 2023 ODI Men's World Cup. It is all set to host the upcoming October 1 to 5 Irani Cup match to be organized between Rest of India and Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai.
Topics mentioned in this article