A number of cricket associations across India will be eager to host the iconic Day and Night test, which is scheduled for the test series against New Zealand. The Day and Night test in India will definitely be a breakthrough moment for the sport as a whole, and it is a no-brainer to state that no association would want to miss this opportunity of hosting the iconic game.
Making a clear bid is the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), headed by former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly. The CAB has decided to play the upcoming league cup final with a pink ball, in order to see how the ball functions under lights at the Eden Gardens. CAB joint secretary Avishek Dalmiya confirmed the news about CAB’s move to test the pink ball in a recent interaction.
“As a preparatory measure, the CAB is contemplating to trial a ‘Pink Kookaburra ball in day-night conditions in its local competition, preferably the Final of the CAB League Tournament,” CAB joint-secretary Dalmiya said.
“Sooner or later, Eden Gardens would obviously be a venue to play D-N Test match. The purpose of doing this exercise is to ensure it acts like a dress rehearsal before day and night test matches are played here. “Prior to hosting such Day and Night Test Matches, we would ideally want to take the feedback from the players during and after such game at the local level and address the concerns, if any,” he added.
Dalmiya stated that the Eden Gardens was an iconic venue and it deserved to host a Day and Night test. “It would also be interesting to see how the balance between the bat and the ball is maintained so that there is a proper contest. We even want to see how the pink ball fares under the lights,” said Dalmiya. “After all, Eden Gardens is a historic venue, and we need to be fully prepared to take the leap forward and be ready to host such Tests before the commencement of the next season,” he said.