India is perhaps the most sought team in the world today in Test cricket, not only because they are the no.1 ranked team in the rankings, but their presence means a financial windfall for the host nation. From a cricketing point of view as well, whenever India plays a top tier team like Australia, things get exciting.
Now that the Indian team has embraced the day-night Test as well, after success against Bangladesh in Kolkata, Cricket Australia had recently proposed two such matches on their 2020-21 tour down under out of four scheduled Tests. However, this was termed too much by BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, CA CEO Kevin Roberts is still hopeful of India playing atleast one pink-ball Test.
"I don't see India being opposed to that (playing in Brisbane)... there is a lot to work through. But I don't see India being opposed to any venue. Certainly, what we heard speculated in the last India tour that they refused to play at the Gabba is simply not true, so we have productive discussions with them in terms of all the future tours we are playing, be it over in India or here. We really commend India in being a good global citizen in growing the game all around the world...don't think (they) get enough credit for their generosity for the game around the world. They tour more days away from home than any other country in world cricket,” he said.
Australia had wanted Virat Kohli’s men to play a day-night Test on the 2019-20 tour, but India refused owing to lack of exposure to pink ball. However, with Ganguly convincing Kohli and co. and organizing a successful day-night Test, Roberts is full of hope.
"I absolutely believe we should be playing one pink-ball Test in the Indian series next year," Roberts said.
He further pointed out that India’s standing in the World Test Championship points table warrants a day-night encounter between the two sides. He said, "India to their credit are doing very well in this World Test Championship, and it's highly likely that they will make the final in 2021 if you look at where the standards are now and what's coming. I suspect that will make it easier to schedule a day-night Test next season if India has relative certainty of making the WTC final, then there is less reason not to play a day-night Test and more reason to play one.”
Roberts clarified that no Test match is locked at any venue, be it the opening summer Test in Brisbane, the Boxing Day Test at MCG or the New Year's Test at SCG. He acknowledged the "commitments" to hold a Test each in Melbourne and Sydney but that's how deep the commitments run.
"No specific Test anywhere around the country is locked in into the future. There are commitments to have a Test at the MCG and the SCG, that's the depth of the commitment. What we do know is that there is a rich history around Boxing Day, we love that and respect that and we would really like to see Boxing Day Test continue at the MCG. There's an average opening-day crowd of over 70,000 at the MCG, so that's the only venue in Australia which can accommodate that crowd so that's a key consideration,” he said.
(Cricbuzz.com inputs)
