First Night Cricket Test To Be Played In Kolkata

Bangladesh Cricket Board has accepted BCCI's request of playing the Kolkata Test of the forthcoming series as a Day-Night game. Eden Gardens will thus become the first Indian venue to host a pink-ball Test.

BCCI, under new president Sourav Ganguly, made a proposal for the second Test of the upcoming two-Test series to be a pink-ball and stated that India captain Virat Kohli, too, was in agreement. The BCB had reserved their decision on the invitation, waiting to get a confirmation from the players and the team management.

"This is the inception of something exceptional in Indian cricket,” Ganguly said "It is a first concern for the newly elected Office Bearers and members of Apex Council to take Indian cricket forward. For me, as old Captain of India and as the current President of BCCI, Test cricket is of utmost priority and we at BCCI will leave no stone unturned to bring this format back to its feet.

"In this attempt of ours, Day-Night Test cricket is a big step ahead and we conclude it will bring back the crowd into stadiums and a whole lot of young children to the sport. I am incredibly privileged that the Eden Gardens will host the inaugural Day-Night Test match and the Cricket Association of Bengal will create a display for everyone to watch. I thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board President Mr. Nazmul Hassan and his team for welcoming our request on such a short notice. I also thank India Captain Virat Kohli for his co-operation," he added. Since the concept saw the light of the day in November 2015 Bangladesh, like India, hasn’t played a pink-ball Test match. Green-lighting the game, Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo said his players, all of whom were consulted, were excited at the prospect of playing the top-ranked team in such a novel game at an iconic venue.

"Domingo said on Tuesday (October 29). As the coach and some of the players and all the other senior players, we think that it's a great opportunity, I don't think India have played a pink-ball Test before. We haven't played a pink-ball Test. It's a massive occasion at the Eden Gardens.

"It will be a new involvement for both the teams. So we are very delighted about it. It will be a great moment under the lights against one of the best team in the world, possibly the best team in the world also. So we are really looking forward to the challenge."

India's decision to welcome the idea of a D/N Test under Ganguly is a departure from their previous skepticism of the concept. BCCI had been invited to play a pink-ball Test in Adelaide by Cricket Australia on their 2018-19 tour, but had turned it down citing lack of practice.

By – Abhishek Singh

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