'Snow??' - Harsha Bhogle raises concerns over weather in Dharamshala ahead of final Test

India and England are now gearing up to lock horns in the fifth and final Test at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, starting on March 7. The Rohit Sharma-led side took an unassailable lead of 3-1 following a convincing five-wicket win in the previous encounter in Ranchi.

The stadium in Dharamshala is a magnificent location that is unique in India, located at an elevation of 1,457 meters above sea level with snow-capped Himalayan mountains in the backdrop. To get to Dharamsala, one must travel across high terrains, and the harsh winters, which bring rain and snow, making it difficult to schedule regular matches. Now, Harsha Bhogle, a renowned commentator and broadcaster for the ongoing series, has expressed concerns over the weather conditions at the venue ahead of the much-awaited clash between India and England.

Also read: IND vs ENG: Jasprit Bumrah set to feature in Dharamshala Test, India to make changes in squad after series win

Bhogle took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared the weather forecast of the venue's city on March 7. “I am due to go to Dharamshala in a week. I checked the forecast today, and just reading that makes me shiver. Max temperature forecast for March 07 (at this stage, hopefully it will change) is 10°. Temperature forecast at 7 am is 2°! Snow??” Bhogle captioned the post.

See Harsha Bhogle's post:

I am due to go to Dharamshala in a week. I checked the forecast today and just reading that makes me shiver. Max temperature forecast for March 07 (at this stage, hopefully it will change) is 10°. Temperature forecast at 7 am is 2°!
Snow?? pic.twitter.com/8H5JNMQF9n

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 27, 2024

It is noteworthy to mention that the temperatures in the northern part of the country have been challenging for cricket fixtures of late. During the recent Ranji Trophy 2024 fixtures, almost all the games during the tournament were severely affected by bad light and fog due to extreme weather conditions, which added as significant deterrents, making Bhogle's concern to be quite valid.

HPCA installs new Ryegrass on outfield of Dharamshala 

In a recent development ahead of the all-important clash, the HPCA has recently re-installed new grass on the outfield in Dharamshala to ensure the smooth functioning of the final Test between India and England. The state association has brought in the special Ryegrass, which is weather-resistant and unlikely to present any challenges for players on both teams while they perform their fielding duties.

Also read: India maintain second spot on WTC table after Ranchi win, England languishing at eighth

New ryegrass in the outfield at the Dharamshala Stadium ahead of the 5th Test. pic.twitter.com/uHosJAt7qB

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 28, 2024

This recent development would be a relief for the HPCA and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This is owing to the fact that the Indian cricket administration sought to prevent a recurrence of the situation seen during the Australian series during the same month last year, where they had to rapidly move the third Test to Indore due to the outfield at the HPCA Stadium having insufficient grass density, and hence being unfit to host the match between the two sides.