New Delhi: The third Test of the current series between India and Australia, to be held in Dharamsala from March 1 to 5, is now set to be held at some other venue as the outfield laid on it is not ready for the match. Sources in the BCCI (Indian Cricket Board) gave this information.
It is learned that BCCI curator Taposh Chatterjee visited the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) stadium to inspect the pitch and outfield. He will submit his report to the top BCCI officials for a final decision. Bengaluru and Visakhapatnam are among the venues where the third Test could be played.
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A senior BCCI source said, “BCCI has certain criteria to be fit to host the match. No competitive match has been played at this ground and also the outfield is not ready. With 16 days left for the match to begin, the weather in Dharamsala could also pose a problem as it has seen frequent rains in international matches. Some parts of the outfield do not have grass and the forecast of rain in the next few days could hamper the ongoing work.
An HPCA source in the know said, “We have already said that if given a chance, we would like to host the match but it will be for the BCCI to decide.” The curator’s report will be based on the parameters. Everyone is looking forward to the Test match at Dharamsala as its pitch is considered to be helpful for fast bowlers and also it is an ideal venue for cricket tourism. A BCCI team had visited the venue a few weeks ago. The shifting of the match from Dharamsala will leave thousands of fans disappointed as they have been waiting for a world class Test match there for a long time.