Amidst the unveiling of the BCCI’s new National Cricket Academy (NCA) and major announcements about IPL 2025, the ongoing Kanpur Test between India and Bangladesh has brought embarrassment to the Board of Control for Cricket in India. While the world’s richest cricket board basks in its recent achievements, the situation in Kanpur has left fans frustrated and questioning the board’s decisions.
Kanpur Test Becomes a Source of Embarrassment
The third day of the Kanpur Test was entirely abandoned without a single ball being bowled, following similar cancellations on the second day. Even on the first day, only 35 overs were bowled before rain intervened. While rain was the initial cause of delays, the real problem has been the stadium’s poor infrastructure and drainage system, which couldn’t recover even after light rain.
On the third day, while BCCI officials were inaugurating the state-of-the-art NCA in Bengaluru, the situation at Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium remained dismal. The umpires were forced to announce the cancellation of the day’s play, despite no rain occurring. Two days without play due to wet conditions at the ground have become a major source of criticism for the board.
The State of Green Park Stadium: A Decades-Old Problem
Green Park Stadium in Kanpur is one of India’s oldest international cricket venues. Despite its rich history, the infrastructure has not kept pace with modern-day requirements. The stadium’s inadequate drainage and outdated facilities were evident in the latest Test match.
A day before the match, the Public Works Department (PWD) of Uttar Pradesh declared one of the stands unsafe, advising the reduction of spectators. This was not the first time Green Park had faced criticism. In 2021, during a Test match between India and New Zealand, the stadium’s floodlights malfunctioned, causing an early end to play, which ultimately cost India a potential victory.
Players have also expressed concerns about playing in Kanpur. Senior cricketers from Team India have reportedly voiced their reluctance to return to the ground due to its poor facilities. Despite these warnings, the BCCI, following its rotation policy, allowed the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) to host the Test match here, raising questions about the board’s decision-making process.
BCCI’s Rotation Policy Under Fire
The BCCI has a long-standing policy of rotating venues to ensure all states get a fair chance to host matches. Due to this policy, the UPCA selected Kanpur to host the Test, as Lucknow has yet to receive the status of a Test venue. However, the rotation policy alone doesn’t seem to justify this decision, considering the poor condition of Green Park.
Some critics argue that the decision might have been influenced by the association’s internal politics. BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla is from Uttar Pradesh, and there’s a possibility that political lobbying played a part in Kanpur being chosen over other better-equipped venues. This raises concerns over whether the BCCI prioritizes regional politics over the quality of match hosting.
Impact on Fans and the BCCI’s Image
The consequences of these missteps have been felt most by the cricket fans. Whether they were watching the game from the stadium or glued to their TV sets, the abandonment of the match has left them disappointed. Despite being the richest cricket board in the world, the BCCI’s inability to ensure proper conditions at the venue has become a talking point.
Cricket fans are no strangers to the BCCI’s often indifferent attitude towards their concerns. From overpriced tickets to subpar facilities at stadiums, fans have frequently voiced dissatisfaction. The latest debacle at Kanpur has only reinforced the perception that the BCCI sometimes overlooks the basic needs of the audience while focusing on high-profile events like the IPL.
Kanpur Stadium’s Ownership: A Tug of Responsibility
One of the significant issues contributing to the poor state of Green Park is its ownership. The stadium is owned by the Sports Directorate of the Uttar Pradesh Government and leased to the UPCA. Under this arrangement, the UPCA pays an annual lease fee of ₹1.25 crore to the government, but the responsibility for maintaining the stadium remains unclear.
Should the UP Government’s Sports Directorate be held accountable for improving the stadium’s facilities, or is it the UPCA’s duty? Given the poor condition of the stadium, this question becomes even more pressing. While both parties might have their responsibilities, the result is the same—an embarrassing failure to ensure a playable ground for a major Test match.
A Larger Issue: BCCI’s Politics and Venue Prioritization
The Kanpur Test fiasco also highlights the ongoing issue of venue prioritization within the BCCI. Over the years, various BCCI leaders have been accused of favoring certain venues over others, often for political reasons. For instance, during Jagmohan Dalmiya’s tenure as BCCI President, the board’s headquarters were moved to Kolkata, only for them to be relocated back to Mumbai when Sharad Pawar took over.
More recently, Ahmedabad has emerged as a favored venue under Secretary Jay Shah. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad has hosted several big-ticket events, including the IPL finals and key international matches like the India-Pakistan fixture in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup. With such favoritism, the rotation policy becomes even more controversial when underperforming venues like Kanpur continue to get important matches.
The Kanpur Test Leaves Questions for BCCI
The cancellation of two full days of a Test match due to poor stadium conditions is a clear setback for the BCCI, which prides itself on being the wealthiest and most powerful cricket board in the world. As fans and critics alike continue to question the board’s venue selection and maintenance policies, it’s clear that more attention needs to be paid to ensuring all cricketing venues are up to global standards.
With the BCCI’s focus heavily on events like the IPL and its new National Cricket Academy, it’s time for the board to address the glaring issues at venues like Kanpur and take action to prevent such embarrassments from happening in the future.
