Former Indian captain and current Cricket Association of Bengal President (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly is known for his cricketing sense and intelligence. This time, he recommended Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India to use Duke’s pink ball for proposed Day-Night Test in India.
After receiving the recommendation BCCI has contacted with British ball manufacturer Duke for the supply of pink ball.
Only India uses SG balls whereas England and West Indies use the Duke ball and rest of the world use the Kookaburra ball.
A BCCI office-bearer said, “We are still deliberating on a lot of issues. The conditions, the ball used and it’s longevity. Also, whether it is fair to have only one Test with a pink ball and other two with a red ball. Whether it will be fair on the two teams.”
Former cricketer Sourav Ganguly said duke ball has better and thicker seam that will help Indian bowlers in the DayNight Test.
“Sourav has made an observation about pink kookaburra balls. Sourav feels that the kookaburra seam could be a problem in Indian conditions. He suggested that we should also check out with Duke Company if they can manufacture pink balls with a pronounced seam. We are expecting a consignment from Dukes,” the source said.
However, it is not the first time that duke’s pink ball will be used in India earlier in 2015 Karnataka Premier League T20 has sued the duke pink ball, but as it was the T20 tournament, the data will not help BCCI to understand the requirement for the longest version of the game.
BCCI will ensure from the British ball company that the duke pink ball must have 100 overs survival capacity in the Indian sub-continent conditions.
There is a possibility that BCCI may use all three types of ball-SG, Duke, and Kookaburra – on an experimental basis during the Ranji Trophy matches and after using these balls BCCI will seek feedback from the players.
India has a planned to host Day-Night Test in the 2016-2017 season. Earlier India invited New Zealand Cricket Board to play a Day Night match in India but they didn’t agree , India is currently having a conversation with Cricket Australia and ECB for the Test.
A BCCI official was asked about NZC’s response about the Day-Night Test in India, he said, “I have no knowledge about NZC snubbing us. I have never heard anything from them. There is a meeting with NZC to thrash out the details of the series,” he added.
New Zealand has played first ever Day Night test at the Adelaide Oval in 2015against Australia.
Since then every cricket board is interested in hosting a Day-Night Test as the inaugural Day-Night Test was a huge success.
Sourav Ganguly already promised to host a Day-Night Test at the Eden Gardens. And there is a possibility that the first Day-Night Test will be held at Wankhede stadium.