09:30 Local Time, 04:00 GMT: Umps doing their inspection
We saw Morne Morkel and Gautam Gambhir taking a stroll and you could spot a lot of water on top of the covers in some parts
There is definitely more grass than usual here in Kanpur. Looks like there is a lot of emphasis on trying to ensure bounce is decent, which is why you see grass on the pitch. However, it might not be too different in terms of bounce here as the game progresses. You might not want to get fooled by what you see on top
Pitch report: Overcast conditions. It's a black soil pitch. Traditionally pitches here have been slow and low. Enough straw coloured grass in it for the bowlers to get some movement.
Toss is delayed and there will be an inspection at 09:30.
The weather is iffy for the first half of the game with some rain forecast and things are gloomy at the moment. There was some overnight rain
Read how Kanpur is gearing up for this Test match. Aayush Puthran caught the build the up to the game
“The surfaces react very differently at different times of the year. We've lost a lot of red soil pitches over the years, which was a key component of playing Test cricket in India. Sometimes around the country, people do make the mistake of terming India as a whole. I actually think India has a lot of foreign soil in its own nature. Sometimes, you go to Eden, it doesn't feel home. Then you go to Dharamshala, all of a sudden, it doesn't feel home. For some wild reason, people don't seem to assimilate this because the nature of soil is different, the weather is different. It's not like Australia where every Boxing Day Test match happens at Melbourne. We don't do that. The Pongal Test doesn't happen in Chennai always," Ashwin concluded.
"You play on some black clay surfaces around the country, and without naming them, you have to do a lot of hard work, put a lot of revs and see nothing come out of it. So, to even understand all these, and talk about it is a fair amount of learning for me. It's happened over the years. Like I said, this one's got solid bounce. I will any day play on a surface like this and get hit than play on other surfaces," he opined.
Talking of pitches after the game in Chennai, Ashwin in general explained how bounce plays a key role for a spinner, explained the difference between black and red soil pitches and how India's pitches have become more black-soil dominant over the years. "Look, I think this pitch, even if you bowl good balls, you will go for runs. But the bounce is going to be quite daunting. The beauty about red soil is you put revs on it, there is value and there is bounce," Ashwin said.
Will there be a better challenge from Shanto and Co. this time around? Conditions for sure will be different and it is expected to be a bit more turn-friendly than bounce and both teams are likely to add an extra spinner. The last time India were here for a Test match in 2021 the pitch fell dead on the last day, so much so that India's spin-trio of Ashwin-Jadeja-Axar struggled to nip out the last wicket and India had to settle for a draw against New Zealand. Will there be more bite this time?
Day 1: After a dominant win in Chennai inspired by their star all-rounders, India are in Kanpur for this game where they aim to collect crucial points to extend their stay atop the WTC points table. Bangladesh had their chance at Chepauk on Day 1, but they let India off the hook and quickly run away with the game. Ashwin and Jadeja didn't need a second sniff. India's bowlers were too good with the ball and on a pitch that eased out but still had help for spinners, the visitors had no clue how to operate and let Gill and Pant dominate.
Preview by Aayush Puthran
For 26 minutes on Thursday, in the conference room of Green Park Stadium, the attention was firmly on Shakib Al Hasan. The veteran Bangladesh all-rounder casually dropped details of his conversation with the board chief and the selectors to put an end to his Test career. The country's most decorated cricketer desires to have a swansong at home in Mirpur, but given the political conditions, that may be fraught with risk. The Kanpur Test, starting on Friday, could therefore very well be his last.
While there is uncertainty on whether Shakib will be bringing the curtains down on his Test career at Green Park or not, Kuldeep Yadav, another left-arm spinner on the other side would be awaiting the chance to play his first international game at home in his seven-year-long career.
For either of them to hope for a grand occasion - farewell or welcome - on the expected spin-friendly track of Green Park, they would have to pray that there is ample counter-measures in place by the state association for the predicted rains over the next three days.
The ground of many historic events in Indian cricket, Green Park wears the look of a quintessential Indian stadium from the 1990s without carrying its charm. A stand that was under question for holding big crowds getting late permissions, practice nets in touching distance to the boundary ropes, floodlights that gave away the last time India played a Test at the venue.
Countering the allegations, the venue director claims that the ground is all fit and ready to host the second Test against Bangladesh, with the required clearances in place and record crowd expected.
The shortcomings of the venue is not a secret even for the hosts - Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association - who have in recent years preferred to host the more high-profile games in the newer venue in the state - Lucknow's Ekana Stadium, which among many modern-day enhancements also boasts of a superior drainage system.
A brief drizzle of eight minutes had rendered the ground unplayable for an entire day in a Duleep Trophy contest seven years ago in Kanpur. But Green Park's venue director is convinced that they are prepared to counter the challenge of frequent drizzles that are predicted over the next few days: the tarpaulin sheets that cover nearly the entire ground, two super-soppers and a self-certified statement of quality of the drainage system.
But that's not the only challenge they are up against. The exterior walls of the stadium complex flaunting ads of paan masala brands and the accompanying testimony of the product splattered in a shade of deep red are being painted white. Only days after protests from a right-wing outfit demanding no-play with Bangladesh were quelled, there is a monkey attack in the stadium that they are out to deal with. "No need to worry about the monkey," the venue director assured and added in jest, "We have called langurs to deal with them."
As the grand vision of playing the 'Shine Green Park' Test was laid out, a lot of table-thumping by the organisers followed, a louder 'thumping taaliyan ho jaaye' was appealed for when Rajiv Shukla's contribution to Kanpur cricket was hailed. Disappointment was expressed at being questioned over the preparedness to host a cricket match, and an appeal was made to bring more crowds in for the match - only the second Test in eight years at the venue.
The scheduled five-day contest is not merely a cricket match for him, it's the 'pride of Kanpur' he confesses. Families of the martyrs from in and around the city would be invited and felicitated. A tree would be planted in honour of each of them for their sacrifice to make 'Green Park even greener'.
"This Test match will be played on the theme of 'Shine Green Park,' 'Shine Kanpur," the director explained of the shenanigans. "This match is about the vikaas[development] of Green Park, the vikaas of Kanpur," he announced before flaunting the details of the record ticket sales. "We've sold more tickets than the previous time. This time, the ticket sales are worth INR 1.15 Crore, last time it was INR 93 lakh."
All the claims would be put to Test, starting Friday, when Bangladesh, amidst their own set of cricketing struggles, would look to level the series against the ruthless Indian side. The focus may be stolen by the cricket, if not entirely by how Shakib and Kuldeep fare in what could be a momentous game for both of them. And if that's where the spotlight entirely is despite the likelihood of rain offering ample time to sit back and reflect, it would speak well for the cricketers, for the stadium, for the organisers and largely for Test cricket.
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 would offer 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 to stay out of the optional practice session a day ahead of the game. India might look to play three spinners, which could lead to the inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav at the expense of a pacer
Bangladesh: The visitors didn't get to practise a day ahead of the game owing to rain. On Wednesday, Shakib had two sessions in the nets, but combined to bat barely 10 deliveries due to an undisclosed discomfort. The coach had, however, assured that there had been no report from the team physio to suggest that he would be unavailable for the Test. Meanwhile, Bangladesh might also look to include an additional spinner.
Probable XI: Shadman Islam, Zakir Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Mehidy Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Taskin Ahmed/Nahid Rana, Taijul Islam
What they said:
"In this Test match, if we can score 350 or somewhere there, I think that will be a huge improvement. 350 to 400 in the first innings will give us a lot of confidence and boost our team" - 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 the forecast, it is going to be interesting as to how when we turn up to go in the morning, the conditions are. A lot will depend on that. It is too early for us to judge and decide or have any sort of thought process on the pitch or the conditions" - Abhishek Nayar, India's assistant coach
Bangladesh
India
