Rajeev Shukla defends Kanpur as Test venue amid washout controversy
What's the story
Rajeev Shukla, the BCCI vice-president, has come out in defense of Kanpur's Green Park as a Test venue.
This comes after rain played spoilsport in the recently-concluded 2nd Test between hosts India and Bangladesh at this venue.
The outdated drainage system at the stadium has been highlighted due to Day 2 and 3 being washed out without a single ball bowled.
Here are further details.
Criticism response
Shukla addresses criticism over venue selection
Shukla addressed the criticism surrounding the venue selection, stating that they cannot control weather conditions.
He emphasized that this is the first instance in 80 years of rain impacting the match for two days at Green Park.
Despite its outdated drainage system, three super soppers were deployed to dry the ground post-rainfall.
However, a wet outfield prevented play from starting even when it didn't rain heavily and sun made a brief appearance on Sunday.
Heritage ground
Shukla highlights Green Park's historical significance
Shukla pointed out the historical importance of Green Park, emphasizing that it is an 80-year-old heritage ground.
He reminded the critics that it used to be a deignated Test center and no match has ever been abandoned here due to rain.
Shukla also mentioned that many other venues around the world have had matches abandoned because of rain, suggesting that such incidents aren't exclusive to Kanpur.
Upgrade plans
BCCI plans to upgrade Kanpur Stadium's infrastructure
In response to the criticism, Shukla revealed that BCCI has plans to upgrade the infrastructure of Green Park.
He stated that modern technology is now available for water drainage and will be implemented in this stadium, similar to Lucknow and Varanasi stadiums.
This announcement comes as a reassurance amid concerns about the venue's ability to host future matches without disruptions due to weather conditions.
Test promotion
Shukla supports Test cricket in smaller cities
Shukla is all for hosting Test cricket in smaller cities, as long as they have got decent infrastructure.
He thinks this will attract those who are more used to shorter formats like T20Is and ODIs.
Even with the rain interruptions at Green Park, he pointed out that a lot of folks still showed up to catch the match, which just goes to show how much local fans love cricket.