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BCCI waits on BCB nod for day-night Test


Bangladeshpost
Published : 28 Oct 2019 05:43 PM | Updated : 24 Aug 2020 03:31 AM

The BCCI has moved a step closer to hosting a day-night Test, with a request going across to its counterparts at the BCB for the second and final Test of the upcoming India-Bangladesh series, scheduled to be played at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, to be played under lights.

ESPNcricinfo understands that the Indian board is waiting for the go-ahead from the BCB, but preparations are already underway in Kolkata despite the inclement weather of the past few days.

BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury told reporters that discussions were on at their end. "We are having this discussion but we haven't decided yet," he said. "We will only decide after speaking to the players and team management."

One of the concerns for Bangladesh is their lack of match practice with the pink balls that are used in day-night Tests - only one game has been played in the country with them, the first-class Bangladesh Cricket League final in February 2013. The Indians have also not played much with pink balls - they are the only Test-playing nation, apart from Bangladesh and the two new Full Members, Afghanistan and Ireland, to not have played a day-night Test yet.

Sujan Mukherjee, the chief curator at Eden Gardens, confirmed that the organisers had been informed about the day-night Test. 

"We are waiting for the final go-ahead now, but yes, we are expecting it to happen," he said. "As such, there is nothing different for us to do. A pitch is a pitch, we are hoping to make it a sporting one, with some pace."

That said, the weather in Kolkata has made it difficult to get going. "It has been raining intermittently for the past many days, and non-stop for the last three days. But I am sure we will have time to do a good job." The Eden Gardens Test is scheduled to begin on November 22.