India to stage first day-night Test

KOLKATA: India will stage its first ever day-night Test in Kolkata next month against Bangladesh in what the new head of Indian cricket said would be a major boost to the five-day game.

The second Test against Bangladesh starting on November 22 will be played under floodlights at Eden Gardens, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Tuesday. According to media reports both teams had to be convinced to take part in what Sourav Ganguly, the former batting star who took over as BCCI chief last week, called “the beginning of something special in Indian cricket.”

“For me, as former captain of India and as the current president of BCCI, Test cricket is of utmost priority and we at BCCI will leave no stone unturned to bring this format back to its feet,” he added.

“In this effort of ours, day-night Test cricket is a huge step forward and we believe it will bring back the crowds into stadiums and a whole lot of young children to the sport.” Media reports said India’s traditionally influential spinners were reluctant to agree to the pink ball Test because the increased evening dew meant they would have less impact.

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan said the match conditions had been agreed after discussions with the Bangladesh team, who leave for India on Wednesday (today) for two Tests and T20Is.