Ravi Shastri met CoA to eradicate Pink-Ball Test from India’s schedule

Among the major Test playing nations, India is the only country not to have featured in a day-night Test.

Shastri believes Team India need more time to prepare for the concept of Test cricket under lights | Getty

Given the fact that ICC’s newly proposed Test championship cycle over the next four years (2019-2023) doesn’t include Day-Night Tests, the BCCI was uncertain about the hosting of a Test match under lights or playing one during the tour Down Under later this year.

However, as per the reports in TOI, India’s chief coach Ravi Shastri recently met with the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) and suggested that the team need some time to get a grip of Pink-Ball cricket. Afterwards, the decision to scrap the idea of hosting a Day-Night Test against West Indies in October was taken.

Team India are scheduled to tour Australia for three T20Is, four Tests and three ODIs from November 21, 2018. The highly-anticipated series will commence with the shortest format (Twenty20 internationals) followed by a four-match Test series, with the first Test to be played at the Adelaide Oval from December 6, 2018.

Taking into account the success of Day-Night Tests in Australian summer ever since the maiden fixture against New Zealand in November 2015, Cricket Australia are quite keen to take it to the next level. Apart from the high quality of cricket, the Pink-Ball Tests has managed to attract the crowd and strong television ratings.

“It is our preference that we play India in a day-night Test match in Adelaide, but we are still working through this detail and hope to have an answer on this in the coming weeks,” CA CEO James Sutherland said in a media release on Monday (April 30).

Reports in TOI further suggest that Shastri had met CoA members last month and said that the team wasn’t averse to the idea of Day-Night Test, but he now believes that there isn’t adequate time available to prepare for Test under lights.

“The CoA had a discussion with the head coach of the senior men’s team on April 12, during which he apprised the committee that whilst the team and the management are not averse to playing Day-Night Tests, they want sufficient preparation time,” CoA chief Vinod Rai on Thursday (May 3) wrote in an e-mail to BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary, according to TOI.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 04 May, 2018

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