Spotlight on India as pink-ball action looms
JAMES Sutherland says India is on notice to front in its inaugural, day-night Test against Australia next December in a litmus Test for renewal of the game.
Having floated hosting New Zealand in a day-night Test in 2016 and Australia last March, the Board of Cricket Control India then retracted.
But England’s embracing of day-night Tests has isolated India despite its position as global powerbroker.
“I would anticipate there’s not going to be too much problem there,” said Sutherland of India agreeing to a day-night Test, inked for Adelaide.
“As we’ve discussed at ICC level, it’s very much in the hands of the home country to make judgments on what they think is best. Certainly it’s pretty well telegraphed that from our perspective we’d be playing at least one day-night Test match every summer.”
India resisted DRS technology but appears more inclined to accept pink-ball innovation.
India would expect a series of warm-up games in November given Australia will be playing its fifth match with a pink ball.
“Each time we play in Adelaide, when we played in Brisbane, it further reinforces that this is the future. Day-night Test cricket is here to stay,” Sutherland said. “It’s a different-coloured ball, and perhaps it does play differently. Everyone has to face up to those conditions, no matter what they are, and I think everyone’s got their head around that now.”
Virat Kohli’s side is scheduled to play a four-match Border-Gavaskar series next year.