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Xtra Time Web Desk: On Sunday, September 29, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) launched its cutting-edge Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Spanning 40 acres and covering one lakh square feet, the world-class facility includes three grounds and 86 pitches, both indoor and outdoor. Social media buzzed with images of BCCI officials, including secretary Jay Shah, who was instrumental in this ambitious project, showcasing Indian cricket’s financial and infrastructural might to the world.

However, miles away at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium, a stark contrast emerged, casting a shadow over the richest cricket board in the world. Two consecutive days of the Test match between India and Bangladesh were completely washed out, with not a single ball bowled due to a soggy outfield. On Day 1, Bangladesh managed to bat for 35 overs before rain intervened, but Days 2 and 3 proved impossible for play despite no rain. The downpour ceased at 10 am IST on Saturday, and although the sun peeked out on Sunday, the ground remained unplayable due to overnight rain in Kanpur.

This predicament raised serious concerns regarding the drainage and infrastructure at Green Park, one of India’s oldest Test venues. A viral video captured a fan's frustration, reflecting the sentiments of thousands who came to watch their heroes play but left disappointed.

I am delighted to announce the launch of the Centre of Excellence by @BCCI. The state-of-the-art facility features three world-class playing grounds, a swimming pool, a pavilion, and advanced training, recovery, and medical amenities. This initiative will help current and future… pic.twitter.com/Piudtr1AQN

— Jay Shah (@JayShah) September 29, 2024

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This incident marked the first time since a Test match in Bengaluru in November 2015 that two successive days were washed out due to weather. In that match, which ended in a draw, rain was less forgiving than in Kanpur.

Visuals of ground staff using rudimentary methods to dry the outfield circulated online. Although sunlight appeared in the afternoon, officials ruled the field unfit for play due to wet patches posing injury risks.

India lost two days of play, jeopardizing their chances for crucial World Test Championship points. After dismissing Bangladesh for 233 runs, Rohit Sharma and his team had to adopt a risk-laden batting approach to secure a favorable result.

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Green Park, which hosted its first Test match in 1952, has seen a decline in usage since 2010. Under the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association's management, it has hosted only three Tests and four limited-overs internationals during this period. The emergence of the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium in Lucknow has overshadowed Green Park’s infrastructure. Lucknow was selected as one of ten venues for the ODI World Cup in 2023 and is home to the Indian Premier League franchise, Lucknow Super Giants.

It remains unclear why the BCCI chose Kanpur to host the India-Bangladesh Test instead of Lucknow, which will host the Irani Cup match between Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai and the Rest of India starting October 1.

While BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla attributed the lost playtime to the weather, Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association treasurer Prem Manohar Gupta acknowledged Green Park's lack of modern facilities as a concern. Gupta emphasized the need for renovating the drainage system.

"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 history suggests that no match has been abandoned here. There are many venues in the world where, because of rain, matches were abandoned," Shukla remarked.

Despite the BCCI allocating around ₹75 crore annually to state bodies, the Kanpur Test debacle has prompted scrutiny regarding the effective utilization of resources for enhancing Test venues.

This incident has reignited the debate on establishing designated Test centres in India, akin to those in England and Australia. During his captaincy, Virat Kohli advocated for limiting venue rotation to white-ball formats, suggesting that Tests should be reserved for five specific venues.

"We have been discussing this for a long time now, and in my opinion, we should have five Test centres, period," Kohli stated in 2019.

As New Zealand prepares to tour India in a few weeks, playing in Tier-1 cities like Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai, the turnout for those Test matches, in contrast to the Kanpur situation, may spur the BCCI to reconsider its approach to designated Test centres in India.