The first Test between India and New Zealand at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is threatened by Bengaluru’s unpredictable weather as persistent rain looms. After the entire opening day of the Test was changed due to incessant rain, fans and players are worried whether the weather will continue to play spoilsport on Day 2.
Wednesday’s weather was always expected to be worrisome and it lived up to the gloomy forecasts. Despite the best efforts of the ground staff, a persistent snarl kept the covers down throughout the day, forcing play to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. Players like Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal turned to indoor training facilities while rain-soaked fans waited in vain.
IND vs New Zealand 1st Test Day 1 Weather Highlights
It is the second consecutive Test match involving India that has been affected by rain, casting a shadow over the much-anticipated start of the three-match Test series against the Black Caps.
BENGALURU WEATHER FORECAST FOR THURSDAY
Unfortunately, Thursday is expected to offer only marginal improvement. According to Accuweather, there is a 40% chance of rain and a 24% chance of thunderstorms, which is only slightly better than Wednesday’s forecast of 41% rain. While it gives a glimmer of hope that some cricket may be possible, conditions remain far from ideal.
The forecast calls for cloudy skies, occasional thunder and a chance of thunderstorms later in the day. Early morning showers could delay the scheduled start time of 9:15 am IST, with the toss expected at 8:45 am. Conditions are likely to improve only briefly, making it possible to witness just one session of cricket at best.
CHINNASWAMY DRAINAGE SYSTEM TO THE SAVE?
The silver lining for hopeful fans lies in the state-of-the-art drainage system at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The SubAir system, installed in 2017, has made the venue one of the best prepared in the country to deal with rain outages. This system can drain 10,000 liters of water per minute, ensuring that the pitch is ready for play just 15 minutes after the rain stops, no matter how heavy the rain.
However, if the rains continue as forecast, even the advanced drainage system may not be enough to prevent further game disruptions. With the skies threatening to spoil the game, the question remains – will the rain gods relent and give Bengaluru cricket fans something to cheer about, or will another washout leave them disappointed?
