3rd India-Australia Test could be shifted to Hyderabad

The third Test between India and Australia early next year is likely to be shifted to Hyderabad after Cricket Australia's inspection team expressed displeasure over the state of ground conditions at the Green Park stadium.

A senior BCCI official told PTI that UPCA President and IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla discussed the matter with board chief N Srinivasan.

"Rajiv Shukla has written a note to N Srinivasan so that there is a reconsideration about shifting the match. The BCCI is very sympathetic about it," the official said.

ICC rules state that if the visiting team is not happy with the venue or the arrangements, the home board cannot force it to play at that particular venue.

Two day's before the CA recce team visited Green Park, a local organisation, with permission from the state government, organised a flash mob of 1 lakh people who sang the national anthem, which caused irreparable damage to the outfield.

The CA officials were at their wits' end after watching the condition of the outfield. It was also learnt that the hotel facilities have irked the security team.

The five-member delegation did not divulge their assessment to the media, but the unhappiness over an ongoing renovation work and lack of facilities in the players' dressing was pretty evident. BCCI's cricket development manager, Suru Nayak, was also present during the inspection. The assessment report would be given to CA and the BCCI.

"If the construction work is completed within time we can get to host the match. We haven't lost hope," said Rohit Talwar, general manager, Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association.

The stadium had been deprived of hosting international matches on two occasion earlier, due to lack of preparations, official sources said. The ODI between India and South Africa in February 2010 was shifted to Gwalior due to construction work. In the same year in November, the second Test between India and New Zealand was also shifted.

India's Test against Sri Lanka in 2009 was the last international played at the Green Park.