Hallway Cricket, Gym Sessions: What AFG, NZ Stars Did Amid Test Venue Fiasco

The one-off Test match between Afghanistan and New Zealand at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Stadium in Greater Noida was abandoned without a single ball being bowled over the five days. It rained for three out of the five days of the match and the wet outfield did not allow the umpires to start the match even once. The stadium facilities also came under a lot of criticism as they were not able to get the surface ready for play even when it did not rain for an entire day. It rained in the last two days and the match officials had no other choice but to abandon the match completely on Friday. 

With no action possible on the field, Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott revealed that his players kept hitting the gym to get ready for their upcoming series against South Africa in UAE.

“We tried getting a couple of gym sessions and making sure the players are really active and working hard. Nowadays modern players don't need encouragement. They're always in the gym and training.”

“We've got a one-day series coming up against South Africa. So, towards the end of these last couple of days, I've had an eye on that, making sure our players are ready for the next series. I think as a coach who was looking a little bit ahead perhaps in what you're currently standing now. I want to make sure when we play South Africa, we're ready in Dubai,” he told News18.

When it comes to the New Zealand cricketers, head coach Gary Stead said that his players played a lot of hallway cricket in their hotel and also had multiple gym sessions.

“A lot of hallway cricket in the hotel. Lots of playing spin and things like that, similar to what Trott said, our guys have been in the gym and, and working away. I mean, this was the first of six Tests in Asia for us, three more in India and two in Sri Lanka,” Stead said.

“But that was the most disappointing part for us is that we've lost that, I guess the ability to be match-ready when we go into our Test match next week,” he added.