Kolkata: Another feather is going to be added to the iconic Eden Gardens as it will be the first venue to host the day-night Test match.Bangladesh agreed to BCCI president Sourav Ganguly's formal proposal to play with pink ball following a consent he obtained from Indian captain Virat Kohli in their first meeting late last week.
"The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday announced that the second Test match of the upcoming Bangladesh tour of India, 2019, scheduled to be played in Kolkata from November 22 will be India's first Day-Night Test match," BCCI announced.
"I'm pleased to announce that our long-term partner BCB has graciously agreed to play a Day-Night Test match," Ganguly, who took chair of the BCCi president on October 23, said.
"This is the beginning of something special in Indian cricket. It is a priority for the newly elected Office Bearers and members of Apex Council to take Indian cricket forward. 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," 47-year-old former Indian skipper, who was elected without contest to the BCCI post said.
"In this effort of ours, Day-Night Test cricket is a huge step forward and we believe it will bring back the crowd into stadiums and a whole lot of young children to the sport. I am extremely honoured that the Eden Gardens will host the inaugural Day-Night Test match and the Cricket Association of Bengal will create a spectacle for everyone to watch," he commented.
"I thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board President Mr. Nazmul Hassan and his team for accepting our request on such a short notice. I also thank India Captain Mr. Virat Kohli for his co-operation," he said.
Ganguly, who first initiated and organised a day-night cricket match at the Eden Gardens between Mohun Bagan and Bhawanipur rpt Bhawanipur Club in 2016 rpt 2016, said, "It is a great day for Indian cricket. India will host Bangladesh in our first ever Day-Night Test match at Eden Gardens. Sourav, myself and our team had an idea of revolutionizing Test cricket and this is our first step towards it. It was very important to start the process now since India does not play a lot of Test matches after the Bangladesh series. We thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board for accepting our request for a Day-Night Test match on such a short notice."
Mr. Jay Shah, BCCI secretary Jay Shah said. Nazmul Hassan, President, BCB, said, "The BCB and BCCI share a very long history of support, co-operation and friendship. Ours is a bond of strength and it is very heartening and reassuring for the BCB to have someone like Mr Ganguly as BCCI President who has been an integral part of this journey. On that note, I am pleased that we have had a frank and constructive discussion with the players and the Team Management. I have received a positive response about playing the Day-Night Test in view of the BCB-BCCI relationship."
The Cricket Association of Bengal, which will host the 5-day Test from November 22 at Eden Gardens, will have a series of meetings in which the timing of the play for the first day-night Test to be decided.(UNI)