- 'Nothing is confirmed yet. Nothing has been confirmed yet. Hosting a day-night Test will depend on the success of the Duleep Trophy.'
The iconic Eden Gardens emerged as the frontrunner to host the first ever Day-Night Test match in India against the visiting New Zealand side even as Cricket Association of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly said it will depend on their upcoming 'pink ball experiment' from June 18.
"Nothing is confirmed yet. Nothing has been confirmed yet. Hosting a day-night Test will depend on the success of the Duleep Trophy. We are also organising the country's first day night four-day CAB Super League final with pink Kookaburra balls from June 18-21 on an experimental basis. We will see how it goes," Ganguly said on Thursday.
India's top players will get their first taste of pink ball cricket during the Duleep Trophy in September which is scheduled to be held under lights.
An influential Board of Control for Cricket in India official, though, told PTI that if the day-night Test match is held against New Zealand, it will come to Eden Gardens in all likelihood.
"The decision will be taken during the BCCI working committee meeting on June 24th. We are hopeful that Eden will be allotted the match. Also we will get a feedback from CAB on their day-night experiment," the source said.
Eden's chances are bright since the other two Test venues for the New Zealand leg are Indore and Kanpur.
Kanpur's floodlights have been a problem while Indore, for a match of this magnitude, may not be the best venue.
The CAB has procured a dozen pink Kookaburra balls for the super league final next week which will also be telecast live.
We will keep more grass for visibility. ICC (International Cricket Council) chairman Shashank Manohar is coming. We don't want to make a fool of ourselves. It depends on how the BCCI takes it, how successful it is. That's the way forward. We are trying something for first time. The legacy will be with us. We will give two balls each to the finalists who will practice two days ahead of the final," CAB secretary Avishek Dalmiya said.
The Indian cricket team is set for a busy home season in 2016-17, with as many as 13 Tests, eight ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals to be played in the country against New Zealand, England, Australia and Bangladesh.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced five new Test venues for the same. Rajkot, Vizag, Pune, Dharamsala, Ranchi and Indore were named hosts for the first time.
Avishek, son of former BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, thanked the Board for allotting a Test and an ODI match to Eden Gardens in the 2016-17 home season.
"We are very thankful to the BCCI for allotting us a Test match as well as an ODI. It is extremely good news for the cricket loving people of Kolkata as they would get to witness some quality cricket," Dalmiya said.
"Also, since the IPL (Indian Premier League) play-offs could not be hosted here due to logistical reasons, we had requested the BCCI for both a Test Match as well as an ODI."
He further said they are trying to adequately prepare for hosting the country's first ever day-night Test match.
"We, at CAB are committed to try our level best to provide best of facilities and meaningful games for the spectators to witness. You are aware, that we have decided to hold a local game
and introduce pink ball cricket for the first time in India. The idea to host such a game is to ensure that we are adequately prepared to host a day and night Test match.
"I can assure the fans on behalf of Cricket Association of Bengal that no stone would be (left) unturned to make the events successful and enrich the history of the iconic Eden Gardens, a stadium which is a pride of the country."
