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It only took a quick look to see the warning indicators. Red signs in the lead-up to the abandoned Greater Noida Test included a muddy outfield, subpar equipment, an undermanned ground staff, and a bleak weather prediction, but nothing truly nailed the impending downpour like Kane Williamson.
Something about the way Williamson entered the field that first afternoon, with his head down, small steps and hefty strides, as though he was taking his time covering every square inch of the soaked outfield on his slipper-clad feet, in the hopes that India would be kinder to his knees this time, was telling.
Williamson had gone out to look at one of the trouble places on the east side of the field, where soggy grass from the practice nets would shortly be replaced with drier ones. In the meantime, three fans on the opposite side of the pitch were working nonstop to dry out another area of concern that would have been ‘operated’ on had the weather allowed.
The real tale was revealed by seeing groundskeepers frantically trying to control the outfield. Even though there wasn’t any rain throughout the first two days’ scheduled play periods, the weather was so bad that not even the toss could happen.
The weather had a role in the Test’s abandonment, particularly during the last three days, although it wasn’t the only one. It was not simply the rain that would sink the Test.
Because the stadium lacked covers big enough to cover the entire field, rain was allowed to fall on the outfield made of clay, which was an unpopular decision due to its poor drainage. The exact spot in the outfield that would eventually be dug up for repairs was left to soak in the rain when Tim Southee and Hashmatullah Shahidi posed beside the trophy on match night.
Thanks to the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA), enough coverings to cover the entire playing area were brought in on day four. But the harm was already done. When an extra unit from Meerut was established by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), the number of supersoppers also doubled from one to two. The field workers experienced a similar boom, with their numbers increasing from approximately 8–10 to over 20 after the arrival of freelance labourers, many of whom had never worked at a cricket stadium before.
The fact that Afghanistan was not really at home in Greater Noida made the situation worse. Though the stadium was chosen above Kanpur and Bengaluru due to its ease of access and familiarity, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) was still in charge of making sure the ground was prepared for international cricket. It was only a two-hour drive from the airport in New Delhi. The fact that Afghanistan last played here in 2020 and that the Uttar Pradesh government, not the BCCI, is ultimately responsible for the venue’s maintenance—the latter having placed a groundblock on the area back in 2017 due to anti-corruption efforts—undoubtedly did not help.
The unrest at the venue can be exacerbated by the report by Javagal Srinath. The pitch and outfield are evaluated by the ICC Match Referee following each international game. The host board and venue “are required to explain why the pitch and/or outfield performed below the required standard” in situations where a venue’s pitch or outfield is judged “unsatisfactory” or “unfit.” Sanctions might come next.
The first-ever abandoned test in India was not the result of the weather alone. It happened as a result of terrible timing, poor management, and inadequate infrastructure. The Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex is now vulnerable as a result, not just to this Test but also to many more that it may never receive.