D/N Test against India a possibility next summer, reveals Kevin Roberts
Cricket Australia's CEO Kevin Roberts believes that India may be open to talks for a D/N Test when they tour Australia next summer. India have finally begun playing D/N Test against Bangladesh and Roberts is hopeful that they will have a positive experience and will agree playing against Australia.
Cricket Australia's CEO Kevin Roberts is hopeful that with newly-appointed BCCI President Sourav Ganguly influencing India to play a D/N Test against Bangladesh, they will be open to playing a D/N Test when they tour Australia in the Summer of 2020-2021. Roberts is also hoping that the GABBA at Brisbane will be able to host a D/N Test against Afghanistan although it has far fewer facilities as far as the stadiums at Perth or Adelaide are concerned. Both the stadiums at Adelaide and Perth will be hosting a Test against India and one of them is expected to be played with the pink ball if negotiations go through well with BCCI.
"If the Test summer proper did start that way, it's (D/N Test) a possibility, but there's a lot to work through. We don't have any preconceived ideas on that, we're in the middle of executing the season, making sure we can deliver a really good experience to fans at the ground and through our broadcasters, and then we'll get on to planning next season. We're really keen on making sure we can learn from each season before we approach the next one," Roberts told SEN Radio.
The Gabba has always had complaints of lack of accessibility as well as far fewer facilities than other stadiums in Australia and thus Roberts believes that there is a certain amount of investment being made to improve the facilities in the stadium.
"$35 million will go basically into better amenities for the fans and it all leads towards the cross-river rail opening in about 2024, so a very different experience for fans not only getting to the match but a better experience of the facilities," Roberts said.
"So more contemporary spaces for fans to mingle rather than just coming along and sitting in a seat as you might've done 10 years ago."
Roberts hopes that India have a great experience in the D/N test against Bangladesh which will give them more assurance about playing overseas with the pink ball. He is also looking forward to advanced talks with BCCI when the tour dates are finalized.
"We're having productive conversations with India about the prospect of us playing day-night tests against each other in the future. Let's hope this week's experience in Kolkata is a really powerful one for them and a good experience that gives them more confidence about more day-night Test cricket to keep going forward," he concluded.
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