India to play first day-night Test against New Zealand this year: Anurag Thakur

ByArun S Kaimal, SportsCafe Editor

04/21/2016

In an attempt to attract more people to the longer format, the BCCI will host its first ever day-night Test match, with the pink ball, when New Zealand tours India later this year. New Zealand had played the first day/night Test against Australia at Adelaide Oval, back in November last year.

"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," BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur told a select gathering of media persons at the BCCI's headquarters on Thursday, reported PTI.

Thakur also added that the main objective of the Duleep Trophy will be to check how the pink kookaburra behaves under the light in sub-continental conditions.

"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. These things we will get an idea during the Duleep Trophy," said Thakur.

With the Duleep Trophy using the pink ball, all leading Indian Test cricketers are likely to participate in the tournament to gather first-hand experience, before playing in an international day/night Test match.

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

New Zealand will tour India in October this year and are scheduled to play 3 Tests, 5 ODIs, and one T20I.