The inaugural day of Test cricket at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground was called off due to a wet outfield. Although the weather remained clear and sunny, the drainage system couldn't fully dry the playing surface, causing a delay in the historic Test match between New Zealand and Afghanistan.
Recent heavy rainfall had left the ground saturated, and chief curator Amit Sharma noted that the primary challenge was maintaining the outfield's playability if the wet conditions persisted. Despite no rain on Monday and the use of super-soppers throughout the day, wet patches on the outfield and in the bowlers' run-up areas remained problemation
Multiple inspections were conducted, with the final one scheduled for 4:30 PM local time, but the day was abandoned at 4:05 PM. The toss is now set for 9:00 AM tomorrow, with 98 overs planned for each of the remaining four days, starting at 9:30 AM instead of the usual 10:00 AM.
Although this match is not part of the World Test Championship, it offers New Zealand a chance to acclimatize to subcontinental conditions ahead of their upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka and India.
Though the match is not part of the World Test Championship, it provides New Zealand with a valuable opportunity to adapt to subcontinent conditions ahead of their upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka and India in the coming months.