India selfish in not playing Day-Night Test with Oz: Waugh

Melbourne, May 16: Australian batting great Mark Waugh feels India have acted “selfishly” by refusing to play a DayNight Test during their tour Down Under later this year.

“It’s a little bit selfish from India’s point of view because we need to revitalise Test cricket,” Waugh was quoted as saying by ‘Big Sports Breakfast’ show on a local radio station here.

“Day-night Test cricket in some countries is going to be one of those ingredients that could transform Test cricket back to where it should be. So it’s really only Australia, India and England where Test cricket is alive and well. For me

“It’s a little bit selfish from India’s point of view because we need to revitalise Test cricket,” Waugh said.

“D/N Test cricket in some countries is going to be one of those ingredients that could transform Test cricket back to where it should be. So it’s really only Australia, India and England where Test cricket is alive and well. For me that’s a concern.”

that’s a concern,” he said further.

Cricket Australia had tried hard to convince the the BCCI to play a DayNight Test at the Adelaide Oval but the powerful Indian board turned down the offer saying its team was not ready for PinkBall cricket yet.

Waugh, who will soon step down as Australian team selector, doesn’t understand why India refused to play under lights.

“Their team is pretty well suited to day-night cricket, they’ve got a string of fast bowlers, so they don’t just rely on the spinners, and their batsman are technically very good as well.”

“So for the greater good of the game, I would have loved to have seen that as a day-night Test,” Waugh added.

Earlier, Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland too had tried to convince the BCCI to play the Day-Night Test.