Indian Cricket Team to Host New Zealand in First Day Night Test

By: Tarish Bhatt

The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) has confirmed that the Indian Cricket Team will be hosting New Zealand in the first ‘Day Night Test’ later in the year.

Anurag Thakur, secretory of the BCCI, informed about the board’s decision, which is definitely going to be a crowd puller in the five-day format of the game.

Thakur said that the venue for the landmark Test is not yet finalised. He, meanwhile, added that the Duleep Trophy will act as a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the historic match.

“We have decided that we will play one day-night Test match with pink ball against New Zealand later this year,” Thakur said. “Before that Duleep Trophy will act as a dress rehearsal for the day-night Test match.”

“While we have not zeroed in on the venue, there are lots of factors that need to be taken into account. Things like dew factor, how the spinners bowl with the pink kookaburra on Indian pitches.”

The first-ever ‘Day Night Test’ between Australia and New Zealand was played with kookaburra pink balls, but in India SG Test balls are used in the five-day games.

“We may ask SG to manufacture pink balls later but that has to be of the quality of pink balls that kookaburra produces,” Thakur insisted.