The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala is just a brush stroke on the breathtaking natural canvas it is a part of. The backdrop of the mighty Dhauladhars, different hues of blue in the sky and frequent hide and seek between the clouds and the sun lend a very magical touch to the setting.
It’s difficult to ignore the mountains right behind the media box, and even more difficult when there is a fresh coat of white courtesy the recent snowfall in the region. The facility has been built in a manner that all elements seamless blend in and there is not a single piece in the stadium which serves as a distraction – both good or bad – from the surreal surroundings.
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Dharamsala is not just arguably the most scenic venue in the country but also the one which can be very fickle when it comes to weather and conditions. It could be sunny one moment and turn dark the next minute. The sun would feel nice and warm before the chilly winds take over and force the woollen beanie to take over sunglasses. The weather forecast apps would say it is 6 degree but the winds would make it almost impossible to get hands out of the pocket. And, it has been at its fickle best in build-up to the fifth and final India-England Test starting from March 7.
The region received a lot of rain, including spells of hailstorm, on March 3 but the next day was off to a bright and sunny start. The warmth of the sun and clear skies allowed the outfield to dry up but there was enough dampness in the ground and practice area to keep both teams in the hotel. Even few kilometres before entering Dharamsala, it didn’t feel cold but the moment you navigate through the busy streets with school buses lined up on one side, the clouds take over but continue moving to give glimpses of the majestic white mountains.
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The locals are anticipating rain in the coming week and even weather forecast apps have predicted precipitation on the opening day. How much and when is still anybody’s guess but the fickleness in the conditions is likely to be the flavour in this mouth-watering contest.
England would be loving the chill and nip in the air but there was enough sunshine today to keep the hosts interested too. There is no set pattern.
Not long back during the India-New Zealand World Cup group stage match, the day got off to a very bright and sunny start before clouds did a mysterious act in the evening to halt play. There was a good 10-15-minute period that evening where the players were pushed off the field and clouds took over. Even during the Ranji Trophy fixtures played in Dharamsala this year, there was snowfall ahead of Madhya Pradesh-Himachal Pradesh contest but weather cleared up in time to allow some cricket.
Even after the harshness of the weather, there has been very little bearing on the surface below. From some distance, the surface for the fifth Test wore a very Indian look and stood out from the lush square surrounding it. The last fixture played here – Delhi vs Himachal Pradesh in February – was a high-scoring affair which saw Delhi score at over six an over in their second outing with the bat.
It has been a happy hunting ground for the seamers this domestic season but batters have enjoyed success after surviving the period where weather would turn very English. Hundreds have been hit here this season and the Baroda-HP clash could well have seen two double in the same innings. Baroda batter Shivalik Sharma fell short of the magical number by just 12 runs but Shashwat Rawat hit a solid 207 after seeing off the testing period.
The testing periods – thanks to the many moods of Dharamsala – will be in plenty during the final match of the series too and it will be real test for both teams to make those adjustments during different periods of day’s play. At the time of writing this report, the weather dropped to 4 degrees but clearly felt lower. It will, however, not come as a surprise if it becomes nice and warm in the morning of March 5 before a different mood takes over.
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