For 26 intense minutes on Thursday, the conference room of Green Park Stadium was abuzz, with the spotlight firmly on Shakib Al Hasan. The veteran Bangladesh all-rounder revealed that he had conversations with the board chief and selectors that might conclude his illustrious Test career. Shakib, Bangladesh’s most celebrated cricketer, harbors the dream of a farewell in front of a home crowd in Mirpur. However, given the precarious political conditions, this desire could come with its own set of risks. Consequently, the forthcoming Kanpur Test, scheduled to commence on Friday, might very well be his final outing in the whites.
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding Shakib’s retirement, another left-arm spinner is also gearing up for a special occasion. Kuldeep Yadav, representing India, looks forward to the possibility of playing his first international game at his home venue in his seven-year-long career. Whether it’s a farewell for Shakib or a hometown debut for Yadav, both cricketers are hoping the game provides them with a grand occasion on the spin-friendly Green Park wicket. Their hopes, however, hinge on the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association’s preparations for the predicted rainfall over the next three days.
Green Park holds a special place in Indian cricket history, having hosted numerous landmark events. Yet, it exudes the ambiance of a classic Indian stadium from the 1990s, devoid of modern charm. Issues around crowd management, proximity of practice nets to the boundary ropes, and faulty floodlights, which failed during the last Test match played here, have all drawn criticism. However, the venue director is keen to counter these allegations, insisting that the stadium is fully prepared and all necessary clearances are in place to host the second Test against Bangladesh. A record crowd is anticipated, he added.
The shortcomings of the venue are not unknown to its stakeholders, including the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association. In recent years, they have preferred to stage higher-profile matches at the more contemporary Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, which is equipped with modern amenities and a superior drainage system. An eight-minute drizzle disrupted a Duleep Trophy match at Green Park seven years ago, leaving the ground unplayable for an entire day. Despite these limitations, Green Park’s venue director remains confident about handling the predicted frequent drizzles. The ground is equipped with tarpaulin sheets covering nearly the entire field, two super-soppers, and a self-certified high-quality drainage system.
Adding to the challenges are the external walls of the stadium complex, which are currently under a makeover to remove paan masala advertisements adorned by stains of the product. Just days after quelling protests from a right-wing group demanding no play with Bangladesh, another unusual issue surfaced – a monkey intrusion inside the stadium. “No need to worry about the monkey,” the venue director assured with a hint of humor, “We have called langurs to deal with them.”
A flamboyant vision for the ‘Shine Green Park’ Test was presented, accompanied by fervent applause for contributions to Kanpur cricket by Rajiv Shukla. The organizers expressed resolve in facing questions regarding their preparedness and urged the locals to fill the stadium, marking only the second Test in eight years at this iconic venue. For the venue director, this five-day contest represents not just a cricket match but a matter of ‘pride of Kanpur.
.’ Families of martyrs from the region will be invited and honored, with tree-planting ceremonies in their name to make ‘Green Park even greener.’
“This Test match will be played on the theme of ‘Shine Green Park,’ ‘Shine Kanpur,’ the director elaborated. “This match stands for the vikaas [development] of Green Park and the vikaas of Kanpur,” he announced while highlighting record ticket sales, totaling INR 1.15 Crore compared to the previous INR 93 lakh.
Friday will be the ultimate test of these claims, as Bangladesh, amidst their cricketing challenges, seeks to equalize the series against a formidable Indian side. The focus might stray towards cricket, putting the spotlight firmly on how Shakib and Kuldeep perform in what could be monumental moments for both players. If the cricket manages to captivate regardless of rain-induced interruptions, it bodes well for the players, the stadium, the organizers, and Test cricket as a whole.
When: Starting Friday, September 27, 2024, 9:30 AM IST
Where: India vs Bangladesh, 2nd Test, Green Park, Kanpur
What to expect: Rain is expected to play a part in the first three days. Overcast conditions across the five days should provide some assistance to the pacers on a pitch that is otherwise expected to stay low and turn quite early.
Team News:
India: Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah opted out of the optional practice session a day before the game. India might lean towards fielding three spinners, potentially including Kuldeep Yadav at the expense of a pacer.
Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj/Jasprit Bumrah
Bangladesh: The visitors couldn’t practice a day before the match due to rain. On Wednesday, Shakib participated in two net sessions but faced only ten deliveries due to undisclosed discomfort. However, the coach assured that there hadn’t been any reports from the team physio suggesting his unavailability for the match. Bangladesh might consider fielding an additional spinner.
Probable XI: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (captain), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wicketkeeper), Mehidy Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed/Nahid Rana, Taijul Islam
What they said:
“In this Test match, if we can score 350 or somewhere around there, that will be a huge improvement. Scoring 350 to 400 in the first innings will significantly boost our team’s confidence,” stated Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh all-rounder.
“I don’t know which surface we are going to play on yet. But both the pitches look pretty good. Kanpur is often known to have good pitches. I am not sure about the bounce yet. With the conditions and forecast, it will be interesting to see how it is when we turn up in the morning. A lot will depend on that. It is too early for us to judge and decide or have any form of thought process on the pitch or conditions,” remarked Abhishek Nayar, India’s assistant coach.