Bengaluru
India vs New Zealand Test match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday to be called off without a ball bowled. The steady drizzle delayed the toss and eventually led to the decision to abandon play for the day.
Despite a few attempts to clear the field, including removing and replacing the covers, the consistent rain prevented any progress. The Hawk-Eye system for the Decision Review System (DRS) also required time for setup, which became impossible with the wet conditions.
As a result, the match will now begin 15 minutes earlier on Day 2, with 98 overs scheduled to be bowled to make up for the lost time. However, the forecast remains uncertain for the coming days, making further disruptions likely. New Zealand faced another setback as pacer Ben Sears was ruled out of the series due to a knee injury, with Jacob Duffy named as his replacement. India enters this match on the back of a 2-0 series win over Bangladesh, while New Zealand is coming off a 2-0 defeat to Sri Lanka. The outcome of this series is crucial for the World Test Championship standings, where India currently leads and New Zealand is in sixth place.
