Kanpur, Sep 28 (IANS): Rain and wet outfield are a regular spoilsport for an outdoor sport like cricket. So, what do the players do when the weather disrupts matches?
Former India pacer RP Singh offered insights into how players manage their time during weather-induced breaks as the second day of the second Test between India and Bangladesh was washed out without a single ball being bowled.
With persistent rain lashing the city and a wet outfield making play impossible at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Saturday the teams remained in their respective hotels.
Continuous drizzle throughout the morning in Kanpur transitioned into light rain by noon, but with no improvement in the outfield conditions, there was no chance for play to resume. With three days remaining, India remains confident of pushing for a result, provided the rain abates.
Regarding the typical activities cricketers engage in while stranded in the dressing room or team hotel, RP Singh revealed that many players use the downtime to focus on personal tasks and maintain their physical conditioning.
According to the former left-arm pacer, "Most players continue doing their fitness work, even while sitting in the dressing room. They keep ticking off all the boxes," Singh told IANS.
He elaborated further, "Players usually try to achieve their gym targets during this free time. Some do cardio, others focus on weights —basically, they try to utilize this period to complete any pending tasks." For professional athletes, keeping their bodies in top condition is an ongoing effort, and even when rain halts play, the focus on fitness never wavers.
RP Singh also shared that while players do enjoy their leisure time, they never lose sight of the job at hand.
“Cricket is their primary objective, and everyone stays focused on the game plan. In such situations, strategies keep evolving with every passing minute,” he added. This mental readiness is key, especially in a match where the weather can dramatically shift the dynamics of play. Of course, if the disruption is lengthy, they also spend time listening to music and engaging in leisure activities.
On the opening day, Bangladesh were asked to bat first after India skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to field under overcast conditions. India’s decision paid off early, as young pacer Akash Deep continued his stellar form, claiming two quick wickets to give India the edge. Akash removed opener Zakir Hasan for a duck with a beautiful delivery that angled in before moving away late and then trapped Shadnam Islam LBW to leave the visitors reeling at 33/2.
Bangladesh, however, began to rebuild through a steady partnership between captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and the experienced Mominul Haque. The duo managed to fend off India's pace attack, taking Bangladesh to 78/2 at lunch. However, the ever-reliable Ravichandran Ashwin intervened, breaking the stand by dismissing Shanto for 31 with a clever arm ball that trapped him leg-before-wicket.
At the close of play on Day 1, Bangladesh stood at 107/3, with Mominul unbeaten on 40 and veteran Mushfiqur Rahim on six runs.