Persistent and sometimes heavy rain in Bengaluru has led to the cancellation of India’s training session on the eve of their first Test against New Zealand at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Scheduled to start at 9:30 AM, officials initially postponed the session for an hour but ultimately canceled it due to the relentless rain.
New Zealand’s training, set for 1:30 PM, is also likely to be impacted. The Indian Meteorological Department has forecasted rain throughout the week, posing a significant threat to the Test match. There is a 70% to 90% chance of rain on both the first and second days, prompting authorities to issue a yellow alert for many areas in Karnataka, including Bengaluru.
The city has seen substantial rainfall over the past week. Although both teams completed their training sessions on Monday, two days before the match, the weather has since deteriorated. India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and captain, Rohit Sharma, had inspected the pitch and discussed conditions with the pitch curator before the rains began.
Although Bengaluru has experienced ongoing rain, the advanced drainage systems at Chinnaswamy Stadium enable officials to resume play shortly after the rain stops. This could provide opportunities for play even amid wet conditions.
India enters this Test after a convincing 2-0 victory against Bangladesh, while New Zealand is looking to rebound from a 2-0 defeat in Sri Lanka. Currently at the top of the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings, India aims for a 3-0 series win to bolster their chances for a third consecutive WTC final. Meanwhile, New Zealand, positioned sixth, remains hopeful in their quest for qualification.
