IND vs BAN 2nd Test: No rain, yet pain!

Match umpires inspect the ground during Day Three of the second Test between India and Bangladesh at Green Park in Kanpur yesterday. Pic/PTI

What an irony it is. When the sun finally came out for the first time in four days, the third day's play was called off at 2 pm due to a wet outfield. Thus, for the second day running, no play was possible in the second Test between India and Bangladesh at Green Park here. That meant the visitors, who were put in to bat, could not resume their innings, with the score static at 107-3. With two days left in the match, a result looks unlikely.

Damp patches present

Despite the ground being fully covered with sheets of tarpaulin, rainwater had seeped through, creating damp patches at some spots, the most bothersome being one at the long-off area near the media centre. The umpires conducted inspections at 10 am, noon, and 2 pm before calling off the day at tea. Though it had not rained since Saturday night, the two days of downpour earlier had done enough damage for the ground to be deemed unfit. The damp patches required strong sunshine to dry, but the sun came out too late to provide enough heat to dry up the areas.

At 10 am, there were wet patches, pushing the next inspection to noon. After the second inspection, it was announced that further inspection would be held at 2 pm because of bad light. Then at 2 pm, the umpires called for the day to end the anxious wait for the crowd present.

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The fact is it's a 75-year-old stadium and the facilities are not as good as at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore or even the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, which is barely 90 km from Kanpur. Hosting a Test match during the monsoons at stadiums like Kanpur is always risky. Green Park is a UP government-owned stadium and lacks international standard facilities, especially full covers and a good drainage system.

The Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association in recent times has been hosting most of their international matches at the Ekana Stadium. Being a new venue, it has world-class facilities. But for sentimental reasons and the fact that the UPCA headquarters is still in Kanpur, they prefer to hold Tests at this historic venue which hosted its first-ever Test in 1952.

Not renovated enough

But the problem is that the stadium was never renovated to the desired level and has lost its significance after Ekana came into existence a decade ago. With another modern stadium coming up in Varanasi, this could well be the last international game here. Especially in light of the fiasco in the ongoing match.