Cricket: India not enthused by day-night Tests

ICC announces that Tests can now be played under lights, but BCCI is skeptical.

MUMBAI: India are unlikely to embrace the concept of day-night Test matches because a previous experiment in first-class cricket fell flat. The International Cricket Council announced this week that Tests can now be played under lights, with rival teams deciding on the hours of play and the colour of the ball to be used. Cricket Australia applauded the move, but the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was lukewarm towards the idea.

“We were the first to experiment with this and our experience was not so great,” said the BCCI’s Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty. “At this stage we have no such proposal.” Cricket Australia conceded on Tuesday that day-night Tests were not imminent, since an ideal ball had yet to be found. Red balls used in Tests were not easily visible at night, while white were found not durable enough.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2012.