2.35pm That’s all for today, I’m afraid. There’s lots happening in cricket otherwise since you all must be hungry to consume something this Sunday. Sri Lanka have swept NZ 2-0 with an innings win in Galle, England and Australia are getting ready for an ODI series decider in Bristol, and there was loads of IPL news coming in about the retention rules, match fees, and what not. We will have a live video analysis happening at 3pm IST (not long from now) along with our in-house experts and ace T20 coach Tom Moody about the latest rules and what kind of retention plans each franchise would chalk out. Stay tuned on our homepage for that. We also saw India’s T20I squad announced last night, which handed a maiden call-up to the latest speed sensation Mayank Yadav. What else came out of the squad? Yash Jha guzzled some coffee and wrapped all of it here:
And with that, it’s goodbye and good luck from me, Vishal Dikshit, and Hemant. Ciao!
“shld there be a reserve day for all test matches which can be used only if a certain number of overs have been lost and on the consent of both thr captains” I doubt if the current cricket calendar allows for that, Rohan satish
2.20pm There will be plenty of questions after this kind of a day. 1) Does this ground’s drainage facilities need an upgrade? 2) Should the Indian grounds also start covering the field completely when it rains heavily, like they do in Sri Lanka? 3) What else could the ground staff have done to make some play possible since there was no rain today? 4) Should Test matches be held only at grounds with really good drainage and other such facilities for play to start quickly after rain? How will the other grounds get any Test cricket then?
There’s also a stat after no play on the day! Courtesy Sampath: 35 overs bowled in Kanpur are the second-fewest across the first three days of a Test match since 2014. Only 22 overs of play was possible across the first three days of the Port of Spain Test between West Indies and India in 2016. No play was possible in that match on the last two days.
The only good news for Bangladesh is that it’s Mominul Haque’s birthday today. He turns 33 so they can have a longer party in the hotel or wherever they want to celebrate!
ashish: “I can understand poor drainage. But the entire ground was covered and still we didnt get a single ball bowled when no rain happened today. These things should be investigated.”
Mukundan: “Shame that Kanpur ground was not able to have the ground match ready despite no rain and bright sunshine the whole day today. Such grounds should be taken up by BCCI to modernise and better them. Crucial WTC points India could be potentially losing here!”
And to run salt and whatever on our wounds, the sun is out in Kanpur soon after play has been called off.
Yugeesha: “The way Sri Lanka covers the enter ground without ensuring no spills is something other countries need to look into and implement. it is quite sad as a cricket fan to see games or days of cricket called off due to wet outfields.”
2.08pm Right, the official word is “play has been called off due to wet outfield“. There was overnight rain in Kanpur, but like Hemant said no rain at all since morning. There have been at least three inspections today, all without the covers on the field, and with plenty of wet patches in the outfield. Alagappan told us that the groundstaff tried to dry parts of the outfield for the first hour. But after that the activity was nonexistent. This is, obviously, far from ideal conditions. The priority is always players’ safety when we want to resume play after some rain and the way the umpires were always checking the dampness and sponginess on the ground, it never looked like we were going to have much play today. So three days done and we’ve seen only 35 overs so far.
Sriram Iyer: “Sad to see a day washed out due to wet outfield even though there has been no rains today. we need to look at astro trufs now “
Over to Vishal for the last rituals for the day.
2.02pm And play has been called off officially, despite no rain since morning.
2pm More from Alagappan: “They’re briefing the team officials now, pointing at those spots at mid off. And as they separated they all shook hands. And we all know shaking hands is a bad sign.”
1.55pm The umpires are out there now for the inspection.
1.50pm Alagappan Muthu tells me that there’s “ab-so-lute-ly nothing” happening on the field. “The only people out there now are the host broadcasters prepping for a show.”
Ram: “Every Test .. tests a player’s skill…This one, is testing our patience :)”
Rakin: “Hemant Bro! Are we getting some game today or not?” — We will get to know that soon. The umpires will come out for an inspection in 20 minutes from now.
Vicky: “Considering the massive amount of time lost and in the interest of the game, let Bangladesh bat as long as they can when the play resumes. India declare their first innings and Bangladesh their second innings without batting a ball thereby eventually setting a target for India which they can look to chase down on the 5th day.” — Don’t think Bangladesh are going to risk a Test like that. By the way, the last time it happened, things didn’t go well.
Snehith: “@Preetesh Dhoni last played in July 2019. The rules didn’t mention retirement and only that they should have played/contracted nationally 5 years ago. Sandeep Sharma is not retired but he can be a beneficiary of this rule as well.” — The earlier rule did say retirement, but yes, it now includes the likes of Sandeep Sharma and Siddarth Kaul.
1.15pm Another 45 minutes before the inspection…
Preetesh Achrek: “@Hemant The rule earlier was that a player should be retired for five years to be called as an uncapped player. If the same was applied now, Dhoni could not have been classed as an uncapped player as he retired on 15th Aug 2020 making him eligible for the uncapped slot post IPL 2025. So it clearly shows that not only the old rule has been brought back but has also been tweaked to accommodate Dhoni.”
Swapnil: “Although people may point out the Dhoni rule existed before 2021, but there was a reason it wasn’t used. If a capped Indian player is good enough to be retained by franchise, it’s highly probable he would be featuring for national team as well. If Dhoni is retained, this would be first use of this rule .” — Or it’s to Dhoni’s credit that he remains such a valuable asset even five years after his retirement last game.
Harpreet Singh : “People are talking about all these big franchises – RCB, LSG etc trying to get Rohit Sharma and other big players. But don’t be surprised if it is Punjab who walks away with big names. Remember they have already made a big move by getting Ponting.” — And Ponting and Rohit have worked together at MI previously.
Baldi: “@Ujjwal: There was no real rule change for Ohtani in MLB. The ‘designated hitter’ rule, was there in the American League, where he started off (LA Angels), long before Ohtani reached the states.”
Ujjwal: “In baseball, the MLB board had to resort to a rule change accommodating the generational talent (Ohtani), and it was unofficially named the ‘Ohtani rule’. The media need to use the same term and name the new rule ‘Dhoni rule’ so everybody knows who is being favoured/accommodated.” — To be fair, this rule was there from the start and was scrapped only in 2021. You can read more here.
Kallu: “Wonder whether there is any accountability? Paying public should be informed of the action taken against the incompetence.”
Siva Bala: “Test venues should be selected based on some strict criteria….. very good drainage system should be on top of the list “
Balashankar: “The rule about players getting banned if they withdraw after being picked in the auction looks perfect at the outset. But wouldn’t it be more fair if it is done in cases where the franchise registers a complaint? There could be a case like that of Jofra Archer where the franchise picks the player knowing he won’t be available for the season. Or there could be a genuine case of a personal issue coming up. And what about an injury? Blanket ban seems unfair, lot of clarity needed.” — Those with a genuine case are exempt. The IPL will check with the player’s home board to confirm genuine/injury cases.
Atul Gujar: “Why are we constantly discussing about the IPL. this is the international test and loss of opportunity of another win and possible loss of important point. if this goes to draw, we may repent this decision of having the test in Kanpur. Sad, this is not the talk of the town and again the issue is swept under the carpet.” — Think that’s what we were discussing until now.
Mustafa Moudi: “Dont think Rohit Sharma would like to continue with MI. Same for KL Rahul with LSG. So LSG must aim for Rohit while RCB must go for KL Rahul !!”
12.35pm Thanks, Vishal. The wait simply continues… And yes, I have been going through all the IPL rules and discussing set theory with Shiva Jayaraman.
Now time to welcome Hemant back, who has read through all the latest IPL happenings in the last couple of hours. Ask him all your doubts.
12.09pm Here you go: The next inspection is at 2pm, unfortunately. There are a lot of fans out there in the stands on Sunday but they’ll have to keep waiting for another couple of hours at least. The curator is apparently hoping they see some sunlight soon so that the wet patches dry up quickly.
ashish: “@Vishal – yes we read sbout the deck being cleared for dhoni. I dont sbout others but looks like thala wants to retire as a villain. He has achieved everything in cricket. He doesnt need to keep playing. I know he has enough money. Money cant be the reason. Is it fame that he strives for more?” Or could just be his love for the game and fans. Imagine, cricket is the only thing he has known about his professional life since he was a teenager. It’s hard to let that go completely.
Back to the IPL. Did you know the decks have been cleared for MS Dhoni to be retained as an “uncapped player”. Details are all in here.
Veer: “BCCI should make a list of 5 Grounds, and Test Matches only in them..”
Pradeep Narayan: “It’s really pathetic, seems Green Park does not have proper drainage system. The other day when 4th ODI Eng V Aus was played at Lords had delayed start due to heavy overnight rains, however we all know how good drainage system at Lords. Hence they could had a short successful 39 over game either side.”
Avik Bhatter : “RCB – is like South Africa in ICC tournaments “
12pm The inspection is underway, the two umpires are out there with the chief curator. It’s still pretty overcast there and the officials are all pressing certain parts of their ground with their shoes to check how damp or spongy it is still. Saba Karim on the host broadcaster says they sprinkled some sawdust before the inspection. Alagappan says the spot at mid-off to a right-hander facing up from the media box end got a lot of attention during the inspection. The officials are chatting among themselves and have just communicated something to the representatives of both teams – Raghu (the throwdown specialist for India) and Bangladesh’s team manager. Let’s see what comes out of it…
Meanwhile, Arun is on the IPL beat: “I dont think MI will be able to retain both Surya an Bumrah, along with Hardik..So RCB should target whomever comes out in auction.. Captaincy problem also solved”
11.53am Activity has been spotted! The fourth umpire is out there now with possibly the head groundsman, Alagappan says
Sudhakar : “Fourth umpire? What’s that?” The name is Virender Sharma
James: “It’s kinda pathetic that in 2024 we have to wait for field to dry so play can continue. There’s gotta be a better way. “
AT: “Why were Bangladesh not penalised for slow over rate last game?” I guess because they were not so slow?
meet: “what’s the situation on ground? how active is the ground staff? how’s the weather, is the sun shining again?” Under 20mins to go for the inspection and Alagappan tells me it’s the same as it’s been since morning. No rain, no covers, no work being done.
11.30am It’s officially lunch and we’re half hour away from the next inspection so utilise this time carefully. Make a trip to the kitchen or watch an episode of your favourite series or just stay here like Rakin, who is getting restless.
Rakin: “Oh, 12 o’clock! Hurry up, I’m begging you! You’re moving slower than my Wi-Fi on a rainy day!”
Or let us know your answer to this beautiful question…
Abdul Qadir : “You guys want to continue this match in galle? Should be free after tea today !!” It won’t go on till tea, sir
“Yes I agree please move this match to galle, as a Bangladeshi fan I’d be ecstatic” Living up to your name, Arman
11.05am IPL fans, the retention rules were out last night. Have you had a look yet? Here you go (RTM is back)
Naseef: “Scored a perfect 10 in the quiz, make it more difficult!”
“I think there is still enough incentive for young players to play red ball cricket. Representing Indian at test level and getting a central contract will open more avenues and will be long term beneficial compared to IPL contracts.” Fingers crossed, Shubham Srivast. There was an incentive for Test players too.
Abby: “6/10…it feels that kinda day as well…”
RajatMaheshwari: “Hey Vishal. Left the quiz midway as it was too tough to remember about all the datas and matches. Apart from the game, what do you think about new IPL retention rules and match fees introduction? Do you think it will make IPL a bit more competitive as more players will go to auction.” Not sure if making it more competitive was the intention, if there’s scope for that at all. But it’s great news for the domestic players, say who get sold around their base price. But the flip side is, more and more Indian domestic players might not want to play the red-ball format now. I’m not sure if the match fee introduction was necessary.
Aiman: “Ofc the ipl had to keep the impact player rule. Didn’t the board say something about scrapping the idea earlier this year?” They had said they were talking to the franchises whether to keep it or not.
“Didn’t do better than my overall academics. 5/10. Consistency is the key.” Always, Abhijeet. And stick to the basics.
Rabbul: “The way srilanka is playing test, they are well in chance of playing WTC final this year. Can we expect all asian final.” Four wickets away from an innings win
“Hey, Feeling sad cause it might be Shakib’s last test and the weather is not permitting me to see him bat. Can I atleast have my first ever comment published here after trying for 1000th time in last 2 decades?” That’s an average of 50 comments a year, so roughly once a week. You might have to up your game, Rakin
Erik : “Easi-ish quiz. 8/10.”
hassan: “9/10 I thought it said most 5 wicket hauls for Bangladesh and didn’t see the wins part…”
Azhar: “I believe Bangladesh has a strong chance of securing their first victory against South Africa next month, and possibly even winning their first series against them.
pratik: “How frustrating it is for a cricket fan when you wait for complete week for action on weekends and it gets washed out.”
10.45am Thanks Hemant. And greetings one and all. We have some time to kill – the next inspection is at 12pm – and let’s start with this Quiz: Apart from India, which is the only other Test nation that Bangladesh are yet to beat? Don’t forget yo share how many you got right.
Bot10: “I got 9/10 on guesswork” Bots also do guesswork? Good to know
Mahi: “10/10.. Epic Win… Haha” Just one question – are you capped or uncapped?
“South Africa is the answer” Take the whole quiz, Tanjim! No short cuts
“Were BD penalised for slow over rate in the last match?” Nope, Amey
Siddhesh: “Is the entire ground not kept covered? Are these wet patches due to the water seeping through the cover. Really wish we had better facilities.” There’s been no rain since early morning so all the covers have been off for a while. Hard to say if the water leaked through or not, but the outfield has very wet patches.
Rafiq Fahim: “This match is going to be drawn i think. btw I wish Shakib could get a hundred here. “
Over to Vishal Dikshit for the next hour or so.
“There’s work starting to be done on those spots,” says Alagappan. “Ground staff are at the one at mid-off trying to get it dry and safe.”
Chandran: “Will Bangladesh also be allowed same Percentage that India gets FOR THIS MATCH, in case of No play at all?” — Yeah, both teams will get four points each in case of a draw.
10.10am More about the inspection from Alagappan: “The umpires have been checking a few different spots. Mid-off, cover, gully, first and second slip all for a right-hander facing up to the media box end. The next inspection is at 12pm.” Which basically means we have lost the first session.
In one area near the boundary line, a lot of sand has been used to make the ground somewhat sturdy.
A few minutes ago Murali Kartik and Athar Ali Khan also did a ground and pitch report. They mentioned there are a few soggy patches near the bowler’s run-up and mid-off and mid-on area. The pitch, obviously, has lots of moisture, which the Indian fast bowlers will look to take advantage of.
10am The umpires are out there for an inspection.
Niroop : “India already have lost a match to rain in WI in this WTC cycle. If this one goes the same way and if they lose more matches to rain against NZ, it will be a very unfortunate way to be kicked out of the final”
Vinay: “What will be the impact for Ind for WTC final if this game is a washout?” — Given India were the favourites to win, a draw will cost them eight points. So it will impact their WTC final chances but it’s difficult to say how much straightaway because there are way too many permutations and combinations possible right now. You can read more here.
Aashish Calla: “The first Test ended in 10 sessions, so there’s still hope for a result in this one – Specially since now there will be a lot of help for the seamers here and India have 3 good ones.”
Nitin : “BD already 107 is a big boost, they should get to 300 and declare today.” — I will be very, very surprised if Bangladesh declare their first innings for anything under 450.
9.40pm Alagappan pings: “No covers anywhere on the outfield. They’re painting the lines on the popping crease on either side. Didn’t seem like this would be possible this early last evening!”
Rabbul: “Goal for Indian team today to wrap up the BD innings under 200 and bat like ODI and put 400 on board. I think we can get the result by the end of tomorrow.” — Easier said than done!
jasbir singh: “Does this rain help batters or bowlers?” — I think bowlers. Should be lots of moisture in the surface.
9.25am More good news. The main cover has also been removed and the whole ground is uncovered now.
Rafsan: “Just saw the pitch getting uncovered. I guess it’s been covered since the first day. How good would that be for Indian Pacers!”
Ishaan: “Alagappan, by ‘anytime soon’, how far away do you reckon a start is” — If the inspection is at 10am, and everything is fine, I think we can start by 10.30am.
9.15am Here’s more from Alagappan Muthu: “We won’t be getting a start soon. But once again, the team buses are expected. A big crowd has gathered for them again. False alarm. The crowd is dispersing.”
Abinash Das: “The rainy scenes remind me of the 2015 Bengaluru Test. We watched Day 1 excitedly, eagerly awaiting India’s batting on Day 2, only for rain to cancel it entirely. Instead, we roamed the stadium, soaking in the atmosphere and sharing our frustration with fellow fans and taking photos of players.”
Ramakrishna : “India needs more stadium with bangalore stadium like technology for rainy season Tests. Till then bangalore must be one of Mandatory venue for every test series in Rainy season. Other season tests can be allocated to old technology stadium”
9am Welcome back. We have two updates, one good and one bad. The good news is it’s overcast but not raining. The weather should improve further by noon. The covers have been removed from the outfield. Three super soppers are doing their job. The bad news is there was overnight rain and the main square is still under covers. The ground staff is using sponge to remove the water from the main cover. That means the start has been delayed. There will be an inspection at 10am.
2:04pm Day 2 has been called off! This was always on the cards, once drizzle chose to play hide and seek throughout the morning. The overnight rains did not help either. No sun to dry any of the wetness underneath the sheets, too. Tomorrow the weather forecast is quite better – don’t rejoice, there is a bit of rain around. Should not be as bad as today though. Fingers crossed. That’s all we have from the Kanpur Test today, do join us tomorrow nice and early. Goodbye and take care.
Mahi: “My favorite memory is when Tamim scored 151. Bangladesh was in a good position at 290-3, then collapsed… I thought Bangladesh could have put up a tough fight if they had set a target around 200.”
1:58pm The rain has reduced to a drizzle, and they played through this before lunch yesterday, says Alagappan. And he has spotted the umpires walking out to speak to the ground staff. It was a very short chat and they have gone back to the change room
Neamat Ullah: “In 2010, just before the first Test of the series, Virender Sehwag commented that Bangladesh’s bowling attack was ordinary and that they couldn’t claim 20 wickets from their opponents. However, in that Test match in Chittagong, Bangladesh responded by taking 18 wickets. Although they ultimately lost the match, it was the first time we saw a spark of fight from them until the very end in a Bangladesh-India Test. That remains my favorite memory of this rivalry in the longer format.”
1:45pm Rain is back, Alagappan pings. “Forecast was for heavier showers but they haven’t come. With the ground taking a lashing from yesterday and there being no sunshine today, it’s tough to clear the water off the covers, let alone the outfield underneath.”
Niraj Dhoot : “Favourite ind bangladesh test series memory has to be the sachin kumble comical run out mixup. The entire dressing room was laughing.” It was ruled as a couple of runs and both batters actually survived that run-out
Huzefa: “The EPIC last wicket partnership of Sachin & Zak.”
S
