Overview

Kanpur's Green Park stadium is situated close to the river Ganges, and accommodates 39,255 - mostly uncovered - spectators. Established in 1945, the ground, which has seen frequent changes, lacks the tradition which some of the other premier Test grounds boast of. Its floodlights are slung low, and were used for the first time in a Test featuring South Africa. A number of dull drawn games have been the feature of the Tests in Kanpur, thanks to the pitches, which usually do not encourage bounce and pace.

For long not too many fixtures were held here, until the local cricket association prepared a ground fit for international cricket. The flat pitch is often a batsmen's paradise. Mohammad Azharuddin hit the last of his three consecutive hundreds during his sensational debut. In 1986-87, Sri Lanka and India produced 1096 runs and lost only 17 wickets. In the 90s, India and West Indies produced an average of 73 runs per wicket. Shahid Afridi also blitzed a 45-ball century here, playing through the line and swinging across - one could sense him almost closing his eyes as he smote the ball; it was that kind of pitch.
(Rahul Bhatia)