India batsman eager for his country to join the day-night Test revolution
Dhawan eager for pink-ball Test
India batsman Shikhar Dhawan says he is itching for a chance to play in a day-night Test, as he believes the innovation will play an important role in the future of the game.
India are likely to make their pink-ball debut later this year, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India hoping to schedule a day-night Test when New Zealand tour the subcontinent nation later this year.
"We are excited for sure,” Dhawan told reporters in Hyderabad.
"I always believe change is always good.
"If things go well, it's a new thing for batsmen, for the bowlers also.
"It's going to be good to try our hands on the coming thing."
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New Zealand fast bowler New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult has already voiced his support for the proposed day-night Test against India, calling for more pink-ball Tests.
"The experience of playing the Test with the pink ball (in Adelaide last year) was great, the buzz was fantastic," Boult toldWisden Asia.
"It's definitely exciting for Test cricket, and we need to see more of it."
New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White has also thrown his support behind the proposed match.
''We've said we are receptive to the idea," White told Radio Sport NZ.
''We will work closely with the players, but in saying that, if the trials look good and they (India) are comfortable with (the trials) it's very positive from our point of view. We believe day-night test cricket has a big future in the game."
Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Anurag Thakur confirmed India's plans to play the pink-ball Test against the Black Caps earlier this month, at a venue yet to be determined.
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However former India captain Sourav Ganguly has put forward Kolkata’s Eden Gardens as a potential venue for the historic match.
"Yes, we want to play host to a pink-ball Test in the future. As you know, we will try to host a local four-day match with the pink ball under the floodlights as a test,” Ganguly, who president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, said.
Australia will meet Pakistan in a day-night match in Brisbane in December, while they have also pencilled in a clash under lights with South Africa in Adelaide – a fixture the Proteas say they are reluctant to play due to a lack of practice against the pink ball.
However, Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland remains optimistic the match will go ahead as planned.
Pakistan also hope to host their own day-night Test against West Indies in the United Arab Emirates in October.