BCCI defends giving India Test match to Green Park Stadium in Kanpur: 'Everything is being criticised'

BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla, who also hails from Kanpur, has launched a scathing attack on media reports that criticised the facilities at the Green Park Stadium which is currently hosting the second India-Bangladesh Test. Over two days of play in Kanpur was lost due to rain and a wet outfield. The drainage system at Green Park came under fire after play was not possible on Day 3 despite no rain during the scheduled hours of the match.

Shukla defended the Green Park Stadium by saying that it was a “heritage” ground and it was the first time that days were lost due to rain.

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“Well, criticism is one thing which we are used to in the administration of the BCCI in cricket. But everything is being criticised,” Shukla said after Day 4. “When we are not giving matches to Kanpur because [of certain reasons], then also I was being criticised. Now we are giving the match and I am still being criticised why it has been given to Kanpur. So that goes on.

“You know the problem is that this ground is around 80 years old. It is our heritage ground. If you remember it used to be a permanent Test centre. The original six permanent Test centres were Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Mumbai and Kanpur. This is a permanent centre. So the whole idea was to have Test matches here. This is the first time in 80 years that it rained so much that we were not able to host the match for two days.”

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Old ground needs new technologies

The veteran BCCI administrator, however, agreed that the venue needs upgrades.

“The history suggests that no match has been abandoned here in Kanpur. There are many venues in the world where because of the rains, matches have been abandoned. So here if for two days the match couldn’t take place, I don’t think there should be too much hue and cry,” Shukla said.

“When this ground was being built, and the stadium was being built, then those technologies were not available. Now technologies are available. 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 rainwater.

“Here also we are planning. Today I had a discussion with administration about how we can develop this system by which the rainwater can immediately be [drained].”

‘Unnecessarily Kanpur and Green Park is being blamed’

The Green Park Stadium is owned by the Uttar Pradesh government but the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association [UPCA] is responsible for its maintenance due to a MoU they have with the government. Shukla said that the board is in discussion with the government to bring the necessary changes to the facilities.

“The moment I came here, I had a long discussion with government officials because this stadium belongs to the government. We are in agreement with them,” Shukla said, “So, now for that, the ground has to be dug, new technology has to be applied and everything has to be done. So, immediately after coming here, I had a discussion with the authorities and they are also on the same page and I think we will be able to improve the conditions here shortly.

“Sometimes it happens, though we all pray to [the rain god] Lord Indra, not to rain, but, you know, it happens. And it happens throughout the world. So, why unnecessarily Kanpur and Green Park is being blamed for something which is in nature’s hands?”