Day-Night Test beckons for Indians at home: BCCI

The Day-Night Test frenzy has finally hit the shores of the subcontinent. With history made at Adelaide in the fall of last year, the BCCI also seems to be mulling over the decision of playing with the pink ball. Preliminary reports suggest that the Indians will play hosts to New Zealand in a Day-Night Test match later this year.

The move is said to be a measure to revive Test cricket in the country and to boost the viewership. Anurag Thakur, the secretary of the BCCI also mentioned that the Duleep Trophy would act as a test for the Day-Night game to follow.

“We have decided that we will play one Day/Night Test match with a pink ball against New Zealand later this year. Before that Duleep Trophy will act as a dress rehearsal for the Day/Night Test match,” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur told a select gathering of media persons at the BCCI’s headquarters in the capital today (April 21).

Thakur also added that the venue was yet to be finalized along with a plethora of factors that have to be taken into account. Thakur also reiterated that the BCCI may call upon their primary cricket ball contractor SG to prepare the pink kookaburra ball for them. It is also highly expected that the Indians will play the Duleep Trophy match in order to get a feel of the Day/Night match as well as give their feedback on the novelty of Test cricket.

“While we have not zeroed in on the venue, there are lots of factors that need to be taken into account. Things like dew factor, how the spinners bowl with the pink kookaburra on Indian pitches. These things we will get an idea during the Duleep Trophy,” said Thakur.

“We may ask SG to manufacture pink balls later but that has to be of the quality of pink balls that kookaburra produces,” said Thakur.

Also read – Kings XI Punjab opts Dharamsala as second home