EXPLAINED: Sub Air system which could have helped start Nagpur T20I match on time even after rain

As rain continues to affect the 2nd T20I between India and Australia, the fans are upset that the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium not having the sub air system in place to dry the water patches and ready the right conditions again for a cricket match to take place. After it rained the whole day in Nagpur and other regions of Maharashtra, some areas in the ground were wet even after rain came to a halt. And because there was sun to dry it out, the officials could only wait for the outfield to get back to playing conditions. Had a subair system been in place, the match could have started sooner rather than later. 

What is the sub air system?

The sub air system is a technology invented by US-based company called SubAir Systems. It is a surface aeration and vacuum-powered drainage system. This technology has the capacity to drain water off the ground 36 times faster than normal conditions. In India, only M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has installed this systam and Karanataka State Association had to shell out Rs 4.25 crore to make it happen. It has helped the delaying issues of cricket matches due to wet conditions on the ground. 

A wet outfield has delayed the toss in Nagpur _#INDvAUS | _ Scorecard: https://t.co/qNZMmN8MGZ pic.twitter.com/4mVm61T4Xp — ICC (@ICC) September 23, 2022

How does sub air system work?

What this system does is suck the water out through a super absorption pipe. It can suck over 10,000 litres per minute from the ground from the time of start of rain. There are remote sensors installed in the field which help the technology work through activated signals.