Rajeev Shukla responds to criticism on Kanpur Test

The ongoing second Test match of the two-Test series between India and Bangladesh has come into controversy over the lack of proper drainage facilities at the historic Green Park stadium. After some sparse rain on the first two days, there was precious little rain on the third day. However, despite that the game couldn’t start at all after a brief spell of play on the first day. 

Although India dominated Bangladesh on Day 4 of the Test, and will be pressing for a victory on Day 5, they still stand the chance to lose crucial game points if this game ends in a draw. That might affect the qualification scenario for the World Test Championship in 2025. 

However, Rajiv Shukla, the Vice-President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who is also born in Kanpur and holds a lot of influence in the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) defended the ground, and felt that the criticism is unnecessary. 

“Well, criticism is one thing which we are used to in the administration of the BCCI in cricket. But now everything is being criticised," Shukla said on the sidelines of the Day 4 of the Kanpur Test.

"When we are not giving matches to Kanpur, 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.

“This is 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 lot many venues in the world where because of the rains, matches have been abandoned. Because when this ground was being built, stadium was being built, then those technologies were not available.”

Shukla might be wrong about the fact that no games have been abandoned here, as a 2017 Duleep Trophy game between India Blue and India Green saw only three days play out of the four being possible. However, he did concede that immediate solutions and improvements are needed at the venue, and he promised that work will begin shortly on that. 

"Now technologies [drainage] are available. Like in our Lucknow stadium, we have got that technology. And in Varanasi, we are building another stadium. There we have high-tech, modern technology to take away the water.

"Today I had a discussion with administration on how we can develop this system by which the rainy water can immediately be soaked. Immediately after coming here (Green Park), 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. 

“We will get some time to improve the conditions of the ground and that work will be picked up. The moment I came here, I had a long discussion with government officials because this stadium belongs to government. We are in agreement with them. So, now for that, ground has to be dug up, new technology has to be applied and everything has to be done,” the veteran politician said. 

Shukla also defended awarding the Test to Kanpur as a part of BCCI’s strategy to take Test cricket to B-grade cities, as there’s a lot of appetite for the game in the cities. 

“We have to go by the rotation policy," he said on deciding venues for Test matches.

“Also, India has got now a lot many venues, which Australia and other countries don't have. And we have to provide opportunities for all of them. Sometimes what happens is that those cities where people get to see a lot many matches...IPL is also there, and then WPL is also there, then World Cup is also there, bilateral matches are also there. 

“So, the number of spectators goes down in those cities, because people are used to watching, you know, these T20 and one-day cricket and all that. So, that's why this idea was floated that in B-grade cities, where we have got infrastructure, we should organise Test matches so that more and more people are attracted to.

“Sometimes it happens, though we all pray to Lord Indra, that it should not rain, but, you know, it happens. And it happens throughout the world. So, why unnecessarily Kanpur and Green park are being blamed for something which is in nature's hand?”

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