NEW DELHI: One has to really dig deep into the history books to find out the last time international cricket was played in India in June.
The unrelenting heat wave, with the temperature hovering in the high 40s in the national capital meant both India and
South Africa
had to shift their afternoon practice to the evening over the last two days.
TOI has learnt that
BCCI has decided to introduce drinks breaks after 10 overs to offer the players some respite during the five-match T20I series. Usually, T20Is don't have drinks breaks but the ICC introduced it during the last T20
World Cup
in
UAE
.
"We expected it to be hot, not this hot. Fortunately, the games are being played in the evening. At night, it is more bearable. The guys are trying to keep themselves hydrated. Keeping themselves as mentally fresh as they can," South Africa skipper
Temba Bavuma said.
"Hydration, cramping and fatigue are big things. We can only get used to it by playing in this heat. And unfortunately for us, we are doing it in competitive cricket."
Full house at Kotla
Thursday's tie will see a full house. The last time Kotla was packed to the rafters was almost three years back, during the T20I match against
Bangladesh
on November 3, 2019.
Stay updated with the latest from IPL Auction 2025, including the final squads of all 10 teams – MI, CSK, RCB, GT, RR, KKR, DC, PBKS, SRH, and LSG. Don't miss the latest updates on our Live Cricket Score page.