IND vs NZ 2024: Why wasn't hawk-eye installed on Day 1 of the Bengaluru Test?

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The highly-anticipated Test series between India and New Zealand kicked off at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, the opening day was called off without a ball being bowled due to rain.

The rain has been so persistent that even the pitch curator didn't have a chance to look at the pitch in three days. Meanwhile, the fans and players observed that the Hawk-Eye technology, which is used for tracking ball trajectories and assisting with umpiring decisions like LBW was not installed in the first place.

The cricket fraternity is curious to know the reason as well. Former cricketer and commentator Saba Karim shed some light on the matter, adding that the installation of the Hawk-Eye system involves a specific procedure that could not be completed in time.

For the unversed, before a Test match begins, the Hawk-Eye system requires formatting to calibrate its ball-tracking technology. This process typically takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes and is usually carried out the day before the game starts.

"The Hawk-Eye formatting needs to happen after the covers are removed. That generally takes 1 hour and 30 minutes and it happens on the eve of the game, but since the surface was under covers from yesterday, that procedure is yet to happen," Saba Karim said on air.

Unfortunately, the Bengaluru pitch was under covers since the day before the Test and owing to rainy weather, the ground staff kept the covers on to protect the playing surface from moisture. This is precisely the reason why the Hawk-Eye was not set up.

Hawk-Eye installation requires the surface to be uncovered such that the system can accurately track the pitch and ball movement. This technology has become a vital part of the game, particularly with DRS in place. Hawk-eye helped in making fair decisions for close calls like the LBW appeals.

Without this, the on-field umpires rely solely on their judgment for such decisions and we have also seen that sometimes, even umpires' judgements lead to controversy. In this case ahead of the Bengaluru Test, due to unavoidable weather conditions, the system's setup was delayed.

The day before the Test, it rained and the pitch was covered with a waterproof sheet to keep it dry. As a result, the ground staff could not uncover the pitch for Hawk-Eye to be set up and calibrated. For the record, the technology needs an open, uncovered pitch to learn the conditions and make sure it works correctly.

In the meantime, fans can only hope for better weather on Thursday (October 17), although the forecast doesn't look good. However, to compensate for the lost time, an early start is scheduled for tomorrow.