The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not interested in hosting a pink-ball Test at the moment, with few reasons behind the decision. There are no day-night Tests on the men’s or women’s home calendars, with the Men in Blue playing a five-match series against England in early 2024.
Since 2019, India has played a Pink-ball test in every home series, and the official believes that the so-called period of the Tests- causes the board a big logistical challenge and is also unfair to the spectators who buy tickets for a 5-day match.
“We will have to increase the amount of interest in the public for the pink-ball Test. If you recall, the (pink-ball) Tests ended in two-three days. Everyone wants to watch a Test match lasting four-five days. Once they get more used to it, we will do more pink-ball Tests.”
“Last time it was done in Australia, no one has done it since then. We were in talks with England, but we will do it gradually,” A BCCI source said.
Only three day-night Tests have been played on Indian soil, the most recent of which was against Sri Lanka at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The match against Sri Lanka in 2022 was completed in three days, as was the first-ever pink ball Test against Bangladesh in 2019. The pink-ball Test against England in 2021, which India won by 10 wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium, was also terrible.
Given their dominant position at the board level, India’s reluctance to embrace change, particularly in the format where it is most required, has a big impact on international cricket. It’s their choice, but both the hosts and visitors must agree on alterations to the playing conditions before a series begins.
Despite its inability to turn, the pink ball has proven to be a lethal weapon in subcontinent conditions. Pacers have discovered movement, while spinners have gained more skid off the surface, frequently leaving batters in uncertainty when playing. The BCCI has decided to postpone pink-ball Tests for the time being due to the poor quality of the matches.
England will play five Tests against India in January, February, and March of 2024. Ben Stokes-led side has not won a Test series in India since 2012/13 when Alastair Cook’s team became the first English team to do so since 1984/85 and both the teams will look to play to their strength in the forthcoming series with World Test Championship points up for the grabs.