Reports: Day-night Test for India - New Zealand series to be scrapped

India has to wait a little longer to host its first Day-Night Test. It was unofficially announced previously that India would play host to New-Zealand for the first Indian Day-Night Test at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, later this year. But, as per the latest official verdict, the BCCI opposed the possibility of having a Day-Night Test.

Anurag Thakur announced that the BCCI decided not to have a Day-Night Test because it does not have sufficient time to organise the pink-ball test match with its unique demands. The latest itinerary for the upcoming home series published by the BCCI sees New-Zealand playing Three Tests and Five ODIs beginning on the 22nd of September.

Earlier this month, the first Day-Night four-day match in India was organised by the CAB (Cricket Association of Bengal), for the final of the CAB Super League. Mohun Bagan won the match with ease, and the match was televised to introduce Day-Night Pink ball matches, which is a potential move to revive the lost charm of Test Cricket around the world.

BCCI is going to test the pink-ball in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, to be held later this year, and get the feedback of the Indian players before the New-Zealand series. Plans of having a Day-Night Test was to be based on that feedback. As per the latest developments, it is not possible for the BCCI to wait for the Duleep Trophy. Since the Indian Cricket Team is expected to return in the last week of August, the Duleep trophy can only be played in September.

Though, India is not going to host a Day-Night Test-Match, yet the Duleep Trophy is going to be very significant in the future. A BCCI official said to The Times of India, “It was said that the Duleep Trophy will be used to get feedback on pink-ball. So, it is still important to get the players’ feedback for future plans.” It also ignited the thought of having a Day-Test Test in the remaining 10 Test matches to be played in India this season.

The feedback is definitely important for future. There is a possibility that the pitches to be used for pink-ball matches will be left with a considerable amount of grass on it, in order to retain the gloss and shape of the pink-ball. Later on, playing against fierce bowling line-ups such as England, Australia and South-Africa under lights at home could have detrimental effects if Indian cricketers do not have a reasonable idea about how the pink-ball behaves under light.