📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vedaradha
Sports
Mulapadu ground staff avert Ranji Trophy delay as Cyclone Arnab approaches
✍️ Sportstar
🗓 30 Oct 2026, 07:51 PM
👁 27
With Cyclone Arnab threatening heavy rain, ground staff at Mulapadu quickly prepared the pitch, allowing the Andhra‑Chhattisgarh Ranji Trophy fixture to go ahead as scheduled.
The fourth‑day fixture of the Ranji Trophy between Andhra and Chhattisgarh was set to be played at Mulapadu when meteorological services warned that Cyclone Arnab could bring intense rainfall to the region. Organisers feared that the storm might force a postponement, jeopardising the tightly packed domestic calendar.
In response, the ground‑staff team at Mulapadu mobilised overnight, deploying extra rollers, drainage equipment and sandbags to safeguard the outfield and ensure the pitch remained playable. Their swift actions effectively “saved a day,” allowing the venue to meet the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) standards despite the looming weather threat.
The match commenced as planned, with officials noting that the proactive measures prevented any disruption to the schedule. While the cyclone later moved away, the episode highlighted the critical role of ground personnel in maintaining the continuity of India’s premier first‑class cricket competition.
In response, the ground‑staff team at Mulapadu mobilised overnight, deploying extra rollers, drainage equipment and sandbags to safeguard the outfield and ensure the pitch remained playable. Their swift actions effectively “saved a day,” allowing the venue to meet the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) standards despite the looming weather threat.
The match commenced as planned, with officials noting that the proactive measures prevented any disruption to the schedule. While the cyclone later moved away, the episode highlighted the critical role of ground personnel in maintaining the continuity of India’s premier first‑class cricket competition.