Kanpur loses Australia Test to Hyderabad

The venue of the third Border-Gavaskar Test between India and Australia in March has been shifted to the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad from Green Park, Kanpur.

According to a BCCI statement, the ongoing construction activity at Green Park necessitated the change as it wouldn't have been completed by March 14, the match's scheduled start date. Hyderabad was picked as per the board's rotation policy. This will be the second Test to be played in Hyderabad this season after India played New Zealand at the ground in August.

The decision was expected after Cricket Australia had expressed dissatisfaction over the facilities in Kanpur after a visit to the ground on December 12. "The dressing room is not suitable to accommodate a modern-day entourage of a cricket team. Besides, they were not impressed with the facilities at the only five-star hotel in the town," a source had told ESPNcricinfo.

Green Park, the only Test centre in India not owned by the concerned state cricket association, last hosted a Test in November 2009 when India played Sri Lanka. India have won four and drawn one match out of the five Tests played at the venue since 1996.

Tests schedule
1st Test, Delhi - February 22-26
2nd Test, Mohali - March 2-6
3rd Test, Hyderbad - March 14-18
4th Test, Chennai - March 22-26