Renowned cricket expert and commentator, Harsha Bhogle reacted to news that Sourav Ganguly was behind the decision to host the final of the Super League as a pink ball match. This match would be the first of its kind in India and would be in a day-night format. The Super League is a Bengal based tournament consisting of the top eight clubs in local cricket. The tournament has been set-up to streamline the process of selecting the state Ranji Trophy team.
Retired Indian team captain Sourav Ganguly, who is now the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president, was at the forefront of this decision and felt that day-night test matches were the way forward for longest format of the game. He said, “Pink ball cricket indeed is the way forward. Test cricket’s popularity has been steadily declining and we must do something to arrest the slide. The pink ball Test in Australia last year received overwhelmingly positive response (from the fans) and we must embrace the change.”
Also read: India's first pink ball match to be played at Eden Gardens
Ganguly also felt that the holding the final as a day-night match would be a good experiment.”The Super League final under lights is an experiment with an eye to hosting day/night Tests in the near future. I think it would be a very good experience,” he said in an interview to the Indian Express.
Harsha Bhogle was looking forward to the occasion and reacted via his Twitter handle.
This news follows the BCCI’s announcement that international day-night test cricket would make its debut in India later this year when India hosts New Zealand in a pink ball test match.
Although the Super League is a CAB tournament, the cost for hosting the match will be entirely borne by sports telecast network Star Sports. Sourav Ganguly added, “We (CAB) are not claiming any TV rights (from the broadcaster) for the event. Star Sports will bear the whole expense of the final. They will do their promos on TV. Pink Kookaburras will be used and we have already procured the shipment.”
In other events related to pink ball test matches in India, the BCCI technical committee, headed by Sourav Ganguly, has also submitted a proposal to play the upcoming season of the Duleep Trophy under lights.
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