For instance, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, which is used for football and cricket both, lags way behind the newly constructed stadiums such as the one in Ranchi and Rajkot, which resulted in the entire Duleep Trophy final being washed out.
Even in the ongoing series between India and Australia, where seven ODIs are being played across the length and breadth of the country at various venues, the Ranchi ODI was abandoned midway while the fourth ODI in Cuttack will most likely to called off on Saturday. According to reports coming in on Friday evening, water was knee-deep inside the stadium in the playing area. "One cannot do much if it keeps raining for hours, like it did in Ranchi. No facility is enough if it pours like that. But a cricket board as rich as the BCCI needs to ensure that matches don't get cancelled at least because of lack of proper facilities and venues not being at par with each other," says a former cricket administrator.
Unlike in England, where the England Cricket Board has invested huge amounts of money in installing hovercrafts (tent-like structures) in most of their stadiums, India - with a tropical climate - has not because experts insist it does not need one. The hovercrafts are necessary in English conditions which are mostly cold and damp and pitches need to be kept warm before and during matches. In India, it is necessary to have the best drainage facilities and covers in place.
"The hovercraft won't make much of a difference. It is only meant to protect the pitch. It doesn't protect the outfield. In India, there has rarely been an instance when a match couldn't be played due to wet pitch conditions. The drainage of the ground varies with the venues and that is a problem. The new stadiums have very good drainage systems because of new technology. Ranchi has the best drainage in the country. It's tough to introduce the sand-based outfield, which is used worldwide, at established venues. But BCCI and state associations can surely look at that," said a senior official.
The drainage system at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium, Kochi is the Herringbone drainage system. But unlike an ideal cricket ground, the grass there has just two inches of root growth. The soil that is used beneath the grass is of low quality. This results in the formation of a perched water table beneath the grass because of which the ground remains wet even after rain stops for a long duration. Since it is primarily a football ground, the surface is uneven and the slope is not ideal for a cricket ground.
The drainage system at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi is also the Herringbone. Curator SB Singh in Ranchi says, "Our drainage system is world class. But Wednesday's rain was a drizzle which went on for a long time. The water didn't trickle down to the drainage pipes which are almost one-and-a-half feet below the surface. The ground was wet only on the surface level. Our two super soppers took care of the water outside the 30-yard circle and the area inside the circle was well-covered. We mopped up whatever water was on the covers. But the umpires did not think the conditions met their standards. Drainage or covers wasn't a problem," he said.
Perhaps the BCCI can take a leaf out of what the Punjab Cricket Association did years ago in Mohali, which still stands as a good example. The PCA for years has boasted of a state-of-the-art drainage facilities, which helps it to start any international match within two hours, even after heavy rainfall. There is a 21-inch slope from the central wicket till the boundary line in the stadium, which helps rainwater to drain down into a five-foot reservoir known in local parlance as 'Mot'.
Due to this the water doesn't get clogged and the ground too isn't muddy, when play resumes. There are two super soppers, each costing four lakh, which gets into operation when the groundsmen have to get the ground ready. A sewage network constructed within the stadium mixes straight into the city sewage system, which means the excess water gets drained out within no time. There are 11 persons, employed by the Punjab Cricket Association, who maintain the water balance inside the stadium on a regular basis.
Meanwhile, if light rainfall takes place the groundsmen use roping technique to remove the droplets that gather on the grass. It is time the BCCI starts paying attention to these matters concerning the game, instead of using all its energies in board politics and clashes with other cricket nations such as South Africa.
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