Two pink-ball Tests in a series is too much: BCCI President Sourav Ganguly

The BCCI Chairman Sourav Ganguly on Saturday said that two day-night Tests in a series would be too much. The response from former India captain came just a few days after a report from ESPNcrinfo cited Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings saying he is interested to push the idea of a series with more than one pink-ball Tests against India. Speaking at the India Today Conclave on Saturday, the 47-year-old said that the BCCI will assess and make a call on it.

“Whether India go to play two day-night Tests in Australia is not assured,” Ganguly said. “Two out of four would be a bit too much with the pink ball. We will assess it. I read it in the newspapers this morning. I haven’t heard anything from the Australian cricket board. We will deal with it as it comes.”

He further added: “Pleasingly, they’ve played their first day-night Test and won easily. Now they’ve got through that it might give them the right build-up to it over here. I’ve got no doubt they’ll consider playing one and maybe even more day-night Test matches. But that’s down the track to when we catch up with them in January.”

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, when Australia visit India next year for a limited-overs series in January, a Cricket Australia (CA) delegation, led by its chairman Earl Eddings, is set to meet the new BCCI administration with the question of day-night Tests on the agenda. The report quoted Eddings as saying that even though the negotiations have not yet begun, “we’ll mention that when we’re over there in January talking during the one-day series”.

“As you build that trust and build that relationship you have that chat.

“Pleasingly they’ve played their first day-night Test and won easily. Now they’ve got through that it might give them the right build-up to it over here. I’ve got no doubt they’ll consider playing one and maybe even more day-night Test matches. But that’s down the track to when we catch up with them in January,” he added.

India last month played it’s first-ever pink-ball Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata where they clinched a domineering victory against Bangladesh.