India v NZ 1st Test: Rain, logistics rule out first day’s play

Bengaluru: Weather has been in a grumpy mood when it comes to Tests in India. Incessant drizzle in Bengaluru put paid to chances of any action on the first day of the India-New Zealand Test on Wednesday. Play was called off around 2.30 pm, while there could have been two sessions of scheduled play if not for the rain.

It wasn’t just the rain in Kanpur where more than two-and-a-half day’s play was ruled out in last month’s India-Bangladesh Test. It was more due to the poor drainage facilities at the Green Park stadium. To India’s credit, so good were Rohit Sharma’s men that two days were enough to successfully chase down a win.

Why just Indian cricket, rains have not been welcoming for New Zealand cricket too in India. Earlier in September, the New Zealand-Afghanistan one-off Test in Noida had to be called off without a ball being bowled – only the eighth such instance in Test history. Unseasonal rains, yes. But again, the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground was so unfit for international cricket that wet patches on the outfield prevented play even on days when the sun beat down.

That cannot be said about the M Chinnaswamy Stadium where the SubAir drainage system was sucking in water even while it drizzled. Virat Kohli made an appearance in the afternoon to bring some cheer to the scarce crowd here, only for them to find out he was walking to the National Cricket Academy’s indoor facilities to have a hit. Yashasvi Jaiswal followed him, accompanied by assistant coach Abhishek Nayar and the throw-downs specialists. Batters like to stay in batting rhythm as much as they can.

The rain never picked up intensity, but the pitter-patter sprinkling was persistent. There was a glimmer of hope around 1.45 pm when they did try to remove the covers, until another shower played spoilsport.

Any further chances of play starting were dashed because one learns the Hawk-Eye (ball trajectory aid used for Decision Review System) calibration wasn’t possible in the morning or the day before because of the rain. The process would have taken an hour-and-a-half. That exercise was conducted after play was abandoned. A sharp shower later rain halted and the covers were lifted. Rohit walked in to check the dampness on the pitch. By then, even the few faithful who had turned up braving the weather had gone home.

Many of them will return on Thursday, though the forecast is equally gloomy. They will try to make up for the lost 90 overs of play, with 15 minutes of additional overs to be added in each of the first two sessions over the next four days. An 8.45 am toss awaits on Day 2, provided the weather relents.