Two decades ago, the Telstra Dome in Melbourne had opened itself to cricket. For the first time in history, cricket had been played in an indoor venue, effectively eliminating the impact of weather on a match.
One day, an English venue will take inspiration from the Dome, or perhaps the Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris, and install a retractable roof over the stadium. Cricket will never be the same again. Dependence on weather will be cut off, and the action on 22 yards will no longer be beholden to the mercurial weather gods, if they exist.
But not just yet. Perhaps not even for eternity, since it will take away the extra zing that fast bowlers enjoy in windy, overcast conditions. For all inclinations towards batters wielding swords, disproportionate dominance of them is a killjoy for even the diehard batting fanatics.
This leaves us with only one option – to wait and hope the rain ends. If it does, wait a little more, until the Super Sopper sucks the water off and darkness loses intensity for the ‘boys’ to have fun out in the middle. And then hope it does not rain again. It is a vicious cycle when every tick of the minute hand feels like an eternity.
Every cricket fan goes through these rituals once in a while, more often if the game is staged in England. Rain interruptions are a norm and play often an exception, as it was evident on Day 1 of the World Test Championship.
For all the pomp and fanfare, hype and excitement, it was neither England nor India but maddening weather that stole the show. The heavy downpour mellowed down the excitement, for it came as uninviting as middle-aged men trying to initiate a political conversation in midst of a train ride.
Not a single over could be bowled as the umpires abandoned play more than three hours before the usual timing for stumps. There was no respite, and the closest we got to action was when Trent Boult and a few others plodded the damp surface under an umbrella.
The weather forecast is slightly better for the next two days, but drizzles and overpour are certain to return. The match might not yield a result, but there will be winners nevertheless.
Everything will restart on Day 2. Having already announced their playing XI, India may tweak around and consider bringing Mohammed Siraj, the fourth seamer, in play to make hay while the sun shines (well, not literally).
But whom will Siraj replace? Not an easy answer for even armchair critics, let alone the team management, as those in playing XI, announced a day before, pick themselves.
New Zealand, meanwhile, have a day or so to decide whether to persist with Ajaz Patel or bring in an extra seamer that will complete their much-vaunted pace quartet – Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Neil Wagner and Kyle Jamieson.