India set to play day-night Test in Australia later this year: BCCI sources

Virat Kohli led India will play a day-night Test during their much-anticipated tour of Australia which is slated to be held later this year, as per news agency PTI. A BCCI source told PTI that this decision came after captain Kohli said that his side was ready for any challenge and will relish the opportunity to play a day-night Test anywhere in Australia later this year, BCCI sources said on Sunday.

"India are most likely to play a day/night Test during the Australia tour," a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity. India dabbled into day-night Test for the first time when they took on Bangladesh in Eden Gardens. Led by the bowlers, Kohli and company trampled Bangladesh inside three days and this enthused the Indian camp.

"We're ready and up for the challenge - whether it's Gabba, Perth... it doesn't matter to us. It's become a very exciting feature of any Test series and we're open to playing day-night Tests,” Kohli had said ahead of India’s ODI series against Australia earlier this year.

It needs to be mentioned here that India had turned down Australia’s request of paying a day-night Test match in 2018-19 as the side was not ready to enter unchartered territory without any experience.

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However, after Sourav Ganguly took charge as BCCI president, he pushed for India’s maiden pink-ball Test and this enthused Cricket Australia to push for a day-night Test when India go visiting down under later this year.

A Cricket Australia (CA) delegation met top BCCI officials on the sidelines of a limited-overs series in January where they discussed the possibility of a day-night Test match.