High stakes in fight for day-night India Test

PERTH has emerged as frontrunner to follow a maiden daynight Test featuring New Zealand with a pink-ball clash against India next year as broadcasting giants prioritise prime-time subcontinent audiences.

Western Australian Cricket Association chief executive Christina Matthews said the nation’s leading venues, Perth Stadium and Adelaide Oval, deserved to stage an India Test next summer.

Pink-ball home, Adelaide, is being wedged at home and abroad.

Broadcasters are eyeing massive revenue in a Perth day-night Test and would pay Cricket Australia handsomely for the privilege.

Tim Paine’s men want to start the four-match BorderGavaskar series in Brisbane where Australia has not lost for 31 years despite poor crowds.

“Perth is the ideal timeslot for Indian audiences,” Matthews said. “Indian and Ashes television rights are the two biggest returns for Australian cricket so it makes sense that could play into things.

“Night-time sport becomes the norm once you start doing it and outside of holiday time gives more people the chance to watch it. We are the only venue that got a victory against India last summer.”

South Australian Cricket Association chief executive Keith Bradshaw isn’t a fan of the pitching process for Tests.

Bradshaw noted record pink-ball attendances since 2015 meant Adelaide should host an India Test.

No state wants to host a one-off Afghanistan Test next November.

Australian legend Adam Gilchrist this week said he hoped India would play a pinkball Test on Australian soil as it was “important to keeping cricket contemporary”.