CHENNAI: Despite head coach Ravi Shastri saying that he was open to the idea of playing a day/night Test against West Indies later this year, it has emerged that the Indian team is not keen on this proposal made by BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary. Express understands that the team has shot it down, saying that it would take away the home advantage as pitches used for such Tests tend to assist seamers.
On Friday, it emerged that Vinod Rai, head of Committee of Administrators (CoA), had questioned Choudhary’s proposal, saying that BCCI needs to take the players’ consensus before committing. In a mail to Choudhary, he also asked to put the plan on hold until he hears from the players.Although Shastri said in his communication with Choudhary that the team can think of playing a day/night Test, he had asked BCCI to consider playing Tests against West Indies in Tier II cities, as that would attract bigger crowds.
Choudhary had pitched for a day/night Test, citing the falling numbers of Tests. But, the Indian team is not ready to play one yet.
It is understood that Shastri spoke to the team about this proposal, and the players seem to be unanimous in their decision against pink-ball cricket.“If you play a day/night Test, then pitches need to have a bit of grass so that the pink ball doesn’t lose its seam early. Moreover, dew will always be a factor in India, and that nullifies the role of spinners. It is only going to hand advantage to visiting teams,” sources in the know told Express.
The players’ negatory response has invited displeasure from office-bearers, since they seem to have construed it as an interference of sorts in administrative affairs.This decision also puts a question mark over Cricket Australia’s (CA) plan to include a day/night Test for India’s tour Down Under in December. CA head James Sutherland had revealed last December that one would part of the fixtures, but with BCCI yet to respond, there has been a delay in announcing Australia’s summer programme.As things stand at the moment, a day/night Test against Australia in their backyard is very unlikely to materialise.
Kohli out of Lanka tour
India will fly to Colombo for the Nidahas Trophy sans Virat Kohli, as the selectors have decided to rest three regulars for the tri-nation series. The skipper is nursing a hip niggle.Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar too won’t be part of the side, a decision meant to alleviate their workload. Rohit Sharma will lead the side, while Shreyas Iyer is likely to be named as Kohli’s replacement. Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant and Krunal Pandya too seem to be in the frame.
venkatakrishna@newindianexpress.com