Coaches Jonathon Trott, Gary Stead react after abandonment, say drainage system of a Test venue ‘shouldn’t be taken for granted’

The one-off Test between Afghanistan and New Zealand was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to poor drainage, inadequate ground staff, and insufficient equipment. Both teams’ coaches expressed disappointment as the match was crucial for preparation and exposure. Continuous rain in Greater Noida further complicated the situation. Stead echoed Trott’s sentiments. New Zealand wanted to get much-needed match practice ahead of their five World Test Championship (WTC) matches against Sri Lanka (2) and India (3), but that didn’t materialise.