The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium has survived Cyclone Vardah with relatively limited damage.
The sight-screen at the Pavilion End has fallen but preparations for the fifth Test between India and England, beginning here on Friday, are up and running. The match is on track for a first-day start.
The two teams arrived here on Tuesday afternoon. But since the practice pitches are not yet ready, neither side will have nets on Wednesday.
“Both teams have been informed about this and they have agreed,” TNCA secretary K.S. Viswanathan told The Hindu on Tuesday.
Practice on Thursday, the eve of the Test, is doubtful too.
The pitches at MAC-B, the principal designated area for nets, need plenty of cleaning up. The Ram Singh Gate has been damaged by the strong winds and rain.
To the immense relief of the TNCA, the playing surface for the match, which had been shielded from the elements, has not been affected. The pitch is in fact dry, and the outfield, though wet in certain areas, is not soggy.
“The drainage system here is excellent,” said Viswanathan. The Super Soppers will be busy too.
“There is a lot of work to be done, but we are tackling it on a war footing. We are confident the match will start on time.”
Indeed, many were on the job inside the stadium. Due to the powerful gusts, the fixtures holding the floodlights have come loose. Technicians were perched on top fixing the lights.
“This is not a day-night match but there could be occasions during the game when the light fades and the floodlights may have to be switched on. We have to be ready,” said Viswanathan.
There are other issues too. Some of the air conditioning units have been dented. And several glass panes have been shattered. The TNCA, however, is confident that most of these problems would have been fixed by Wednesday evening. The roof on the ‘K’ stand has been damaged by the cyclone. But since the ‘I’, ‘J’ and ‘K’ enclosures will not be used for the game — they have not yet received the necessary clearances — the TNCA is not overly concerned.
In the aftermath of cyclone Vardah, the communication lines were largely down. “This is an area we need to focus on but we have the belief that this will be sorted out before the Test,” said Viswanathan.
Meanwhile, the Indian and England teams have checked into a local hotel.
The series might have been decided in India’s favour but the match here could be well-contested. After all, the Tests at Chepauk over the years have been rather special.
