Confusion Reigns at Kanpur Test as Play Delayed Despite Clear Skies and No Rainfall

Kanpur, 30th September 2024: Shortly after Chris Brown and Richard Kettleborough, the two on-field umpires for the ongoing Kanpur Test, inspected the Green Park ground at noon on Sunday, the stadium announcer informed the crowd that the next inspection would take place at 2 PM “due to bad light.” The announcement led to puzzled looks among the spectators, questioning the reasoning behind the delay since the sky was clear. The announcer’s chuckle after making the statement revealed that it was more a humorous remark than an official explanation.

The situation reflected the ongoing confusion over the past few days at the Kanpur Test. On Saturday, when officials from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) were questioned about why the covers had not been removed despite long intervals without rain, one official claimed that it was due to “constant drizzle.” Whether it was the “bad light” on Sunday or the “constant drizzle” on Saturday, the organisers seemed to perceive things that the spectators could not. With no play for the second consecutive day, there were doubts about the credibility of the official statements.

When the match was eventually called off two hours later, disappointed fans left the stadium after a frustrating wait. Despite no rainfall since the scheduled start, they had to spend hours waiting for a game that never began. Some expressed frustration about their wasted efforts, including a fan who had worked overnight at a chemical factory and had forgotten to sleep just to attend the match. He questioned why nothing was being done to address the wet patches on the ground and why the organisers made no visible effort to dry the outfield.

Another fan added that having travelled to various venues across India to watch cricket, he had never witnessed such delays in resuming play, even when other stadiums faced heavy rain. He pointed out the efforts made in places like Pakistan, where a helicopter was used to dry the ground, in stark contrast to the lack of action at Kanpur’s Green Park.

A fan in a Virat Kohli jersey expressed his disappointment over the lack of engagement from the cricketers, saying that even a simple wave from Kohli or Rohit Sharma would have made the effort and expense of attending worthwhile. The group then discussed the possibility of reusing their Day 3 tickets for the fourth day, although it meant sacrificing more sleep and time.

When asked about the venue’s preparedness for rain a day before the game, Green Park’s director confidently stated that all necessary arrangements had been made, including covers for the pitch, two super soppers, and a drainage system. Despite this assurance, the response to actual rain and wet conditions seemed inadequate, and the onus was seemingly shifted to higher powers.

Even though the sun shone brightly at 2 PM on Sunday, play was called off, leaving fans disappointed. Unlike venues like Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, where play can resume within 20 minutes of torrential rain, Green Park fell short in its facilities. In three days of the Test match, only 35 overs had been possible, leaving the fans more concerned about their wasted time than the significance of World Test Championship points.

Despite the disappointment, some fans were willing to try their luck again in the remaining two days. There were murmurs about limiting Test cricket in India to five key venues, with new stadiums like the one in Varanasi set to come up next year. This made local fans anxious about when they might get to see their cricketing heroes again in Kanpur. Even a security guard lamented that it would be another three years before such an opportunity arose again—an optimistic prediction, at best.