CA Chief Kevin Roberts confident of India agreeing to play a day-night Test against Australia
"I absolutely believe we should be playing one pink-ball Test in the Indian series next year," Roberts said.
Team India will tour Australia for the four Tests in Border-Gavaskar Trophy next summer. And even though it is still 12 months away, the tour is in the news with Cricket Australia (CA) hoping to convince the BCCI to play a Day-Night pink-ball Test. The CA has not made inhibition about the fact that they want to play two Day-Night Tests against India and their delegate is set to meet the BCCI administration during Australia’s three-match ODI series in mid-January.
India had refused to play a Day-Night Test during their last tour of Australia. But Kevin Roberts, the CA Chief executive, is hopeful that the fact that India recently played a day-night Test and given their prime position in the ICC Test Championship, the Virat Kohli-led side must have no issues in playing a pink ball Test on Australian shores next summer.
“I absolutely believe we should be playing one pink-ball Test in the Indian series next year. India to their credit are doing very well in this World Test Championship, and it’s highly likely that they will make the final in 2021. I suspect that will make it easier to schedule a day-night Test next season if India have relative certainty of making the WTC final, then there is less reason not to play a day-night Test and more reason to play one,” Roberts said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
CA Chief praises Sourav Ganguly
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly was instrumental in India playing their maiden Day-Night fixture last month. Ganguly has been a vocal supporter of the Tests to be played under lights, which, according to him is the best way forward to market Test cricket. Roberts feels that it would help convince the Indian administration to play a D/N Test next summer.
“Also with Sourav Ganguly coming into the presidency of the BCCI, he’s been very proactive in scheduling the first day-night Test in India, and we saw that was a sellout in three days, which is very different to what the previous day series have looked at in terms of ticket sales. There is an openness from India and an understanding that it is good for cricket,” Roberts further added.
If India does accept the offer, it will be interesting to see which venue will get the opportunity to host the marquee encounter. While the traditional Boxing Day and New Year Tests will be played at the MCG and SCG respectively, both Perth, as well as the Adelaide Oval, will be in contention to gain the rights of the Test.
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