The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has agreed to play the day-night Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The Eden Gardens will become the first stadium in India to host a Day-Night Test match in the country's cricket history. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on Tuesday agreed to play the Day-Night Test in Kolkata after it was proposed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed the development on Tuesday. The Test is scheduled to be held at the Eden Gardens from November 22-26.
"I spoke to the BCB president (Nazmul Hassan). They are agreeable, they wanted to speak to the players. I'm sure it will be a day/night match. They will also officially announce it soon. Hopefully, by 10-10:30 pm tonight, we will get a confirmation," Ganguly told PTI.
Earlier, Ganguly revealed that India captain Virat Kohli has "agreed" to play the Day-Night Test match. The development came after Ganguly met Kohli, India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma in Mumbai during the selection meeting for the Bangladesh series.
Ganguly has been vocal about India playing Day-Night Tests to pull spectators to the stands.
The announcement ends days of speculations after Ganguly first proposed the idea to the Bangladesh Cricket Board, which faced resistance from its players and sat for multiple meetings to convince them.
"It's a good development. Test cricket needs this push. Me and my team were bent on it and thanks to Virat (Kohli) also, he agreed," Ganguly told PTI.
The BCCI also plans to invite India's legendary Olympians like Abhinav Bindra, MC Mary Kom and PV Sindhu and felicitate them for their contribution to the country's Olympic movement during the match.
Just like Cricket Australia's annual 'Pink Test' (players wear Pink caps) in association with the Jane McGrath Foundation to raise awareness about breast cancer, Ganguly wants the Eden Gardens' Day-night Test to be an "annual affair".
Indian cricketers have for long objected to playing with the pink ball, asserting that sighting the ball becomes a problem after it gets old.
