After BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur announced on Thursday(April 21)that India is ready to host its first-ever day-night cricket Test with pink ball when New Zealand tour India later this year, New Zealand Cricket have expressed their willingness to go ahead with the possibility of playing the day-night encounter.
The announcement made last week by Thakur that one of the Tests on New Zealand’s tour
would be a day-night match took New Zealand by surprise.
But a meeting between NZC chief executive David White and Indian officials has paved the way for the first day-night Test in India.
Talking on the possibility,White said that NZC were receptive to the concept of playing day-night test against India.
“We’ve said we are receptive to the idea,” New Zealand Herald quoted White as saying. “We will work closely with the players, but in saying that, if the trials look good and they (India) are comfortable with (the trials) it’s very positive from our point of view. We believe day-night Test cricket has a big future in the game.”
According to reports, Mumbai could emerge as the most likely venue to host the game should the two boards go ahead with the plan. India will try out playing with pink balls in domestic matches before New Zealand’s arrival.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur had said, “We have decided that we will play one day/night Test match with pink ball against New Zealand later this year. Before that Duleep Trophy will act as a dress rehearsal for the day/night Test match.”
Test matches in India are played with red ‘SG Test’ balls which are not used in the day-night format
So Mr. Thakur said that the main objective of the Duleep Trophy will be to check how the pink kookaburra behaves under lights in sub-continental conditions.
White also said that the future of day-night test matches looks very bright.
“The sentiment was very positive. Everyone realises it’s going to be important for the future of the Test format to make it accessible to the fans.”