New Delhi: The Green Park stadium in Kanpur is a heritage ground and one of India’s permanent Test centres, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said while dismissing question marks that has been raised over its inadequate drainage system.
More than two days of action was called off due to rain and wet outfield that led to criticism of BCCI for allotting the match to Kanpur.
But veteran cricket official and member of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association, Shukla said there are plans to upgrade the infrastructure of the stadium that got the nod to host the match due to BCCI’s rotational policy.
“Well criticism is one thing which we are used to being in administration of BCCI in cricket. But everything is being criticized. When we were not giving matches to Kanpur then also I was being criticised. Now we are giving the match and I am being criticized… why it has been given to Kanpur,” he said.
Shukla pointed out that weather conditions are beyond anyone’s control, reminding that no match has ever been abandoned at the venue that is 80 years old.
“It is our heritage ground. If you remember it used to be a permanent Test centre. So the whole idea was to have Test matches here,” he said.
“This is for the first time in 80 years that it has rained so much that we were not able to host the match for two days. But the history suggests that no match has been abandoned here. There are many venues in the world where because of rain, matches were abandoned.
“I don’t think there should be a hue and cry because when this ground was being built, stadium was being built, then those technologies were not available. Now technologies are available.
Upgrade on the pipeline
Shukla added that there are plans to upgrade the existing infrastructure of the Green Park stadium, adding that as per BCCI’s rotation policy all major centres get the chance to host Test matches.
“Like in our Lucknow stadium, we have got that technology. And in Varanasi, we are building another stadium. There we have got high-tech, modern technology to take away the water. Here also we are planning.
“We have to keep other aspects also in mind. Second is our rotation policy. So, we have to go by the rotation policy.
“And three, India has now got a lot many venues. We have got maximum number of venues which Australia and other countries don’t have. And we have to provide opportunity to all of them.”
More than two days of action was called off due to rain and wet outfield that led to criticism of BCCI for allotting the second Bangladesh Test to Kanpur. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
