India vs. Bangladesh: No more international games in Kanpur after “washout” dispute? Report says…

Despite a rain-free morning and bright sunshine later in the day, play on the third day of the second Test between India and Bangladesh was canceled without a ball being bowled at the Green Park Stadium. The unexpected cause? A “wet outfield.” Frustration grew as both teams remained in their hotel while match officials inspected the pitch three times, all without cover. But there was no game, 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. However, he admitted he was confused about the match officials' reservations. “They gave us three times to inspect but never told us what the problem was. Which area was wet or whatever is the problem? I told them that you can start the game but if you have any concerns let me know,” he told IANS.

With the morning and lunch sessions already lost, umpire Jeff Crowe carried out several inspections but the damp patches on the pitch, particularly in the deep mid-wicket area near Pavilion C, left him dissatisfied.

The damp 30-yard circle also continued to be a concern, resulting in the field inspection being postponed until 2 p.m. Crowe, along with reserve referee Virender Sharma and TV referee Rod Tucker, insisted on further delays and hoped sunlight would dry the affected areas before play could resume.

Ahead of the third inspection, scheduled for 2 pm, a senior field official told IANS that the match officials wanted the ground to dry in natural light but were never told the exact area of ​​the wet spot.

“The game management asked us to wait for the natural light, then only we can continue the game. The pitch and other parts of the ground are perfectly fine, there are certain areas of concern but we can start the game.”

“If they want to wait for sunlight, they should have scheduled the next inspection time at 1 p.m. because there is always a little sunlight here, which dries out the affected area in an hour. We have already lost two sessions, the next inspection at 2 pm will result in us canceling the match,” a ground official working at the stadium told IANS.

Spectators who traveled from different parts of the state expressed their frustration over the ground facilities at Green Park, leaving them disheartened and wishing that UPCA takes good care of one of the oldest stadiums in the country which has hosted Test cricket since 1952 .

“I feel deeply bad, Green Park is one of the oldest stadiums and we got a friendly after three years. The game should have lasted all five days. The UPCA and the game organizers are to blame for this. They don't take care of it properly. We come from different parts of the state and invest money to watch the game but what use is it,” 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 run a game on a day when it was really sunny. Green Park shouldn't be able to compete. I like to travel to Lucknow or Varanasi, but not to Green Park.”

The teams had only played 35 overs in the entire match so far, with Bangladesh reaching 107 for 3. The delay sparked renewed criticism of the stadium's drainage system and doubts were raised about its readiness to host international matches.

When rain hampered proceedings on the first day, ground crews worked to dry the surface with sawdust and cover the field, but the efforts were in vain. Despite 75 groundsmen working tirelessly, the wet patches remained persistent, disappointing the thousands of spectators in the stands who were keen to witness a friendly match.

This is not the first time such problems have occurred. Memories of the recent Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand in Greater Noida came flooding back – when poor outfield conditions led to the game being abandoned without a ball being bowled earlier this month.

Venue director Sanjay Kapoor assured before the start of the game: “We guarantee a five-day game here at Green Park Stadium and have made sure that everything is in place.” We are prepared for rain, but I assure you, even if it rains, it will “We’ll start the game in an hour or two.”

The BCCI sources have hinted to IANS that the Green Park Stadium could lose out to host future international matches, with the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow – a state-of-the-art facility with excellent infrastructure – emerging as the preferred alternative.

The Ekana Stadium has already hosted a Test match between Afghanistan and the West Indies, is also home to the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and will host the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup matches. It is all set for the upcoming one from October 1st to 5th Irani Cup match between the rest of India and Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai.