CA clarifies India day-night Test potential

Cricket Australia Head of Team Performance Pat Howard has confirmed India were actively contemplating playing a day-night Test against Australia in the upcoming tour in February-March.

India are set to host Australia for four Tests starting February 23 in Pune, but Howard says the complexion of the series was a lot different in the formative stages of the series planning.

"It was contemplated in the very early days and the opportunity to do so but it hasn’t happened this time," Howard told cricket.com.au.

"We know there’s a lot of commitment at ICC level to look for day-night Test opportunities.

"It’s good to see England and the West Indies going down that route (at Edgbaston this winter) as well.

"I think most of the home boards have seen what’s happened in both Australia and the UAE over the last couple of years.

"The opportunity to play day-night Tests where appropriate has been something that’s been heavily considered by a lot of home boards."

Australia pioneered the concept in November 2015 against New Zealand to enormous success, as 123,736 packed the Adelaide Oval across three pulsating days in the inaugural twilight Test.

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Since then there have been three more day-night Tests, with Dubai hosting Pakistan and the West Indies before Australia welcomed South Africa in Adelaide and Pakistan at the Gabba this summer to record attendances.

India had announced they would play their maiden pink-ball Test against New Zealand in September last year, but that decision was overturned and the three-Test series was played during the day time.

England will play the West Indies in Birmingham in Britain’s maiden day-night fixture before playing Australia in Adelaide during the 2017-18 Ashes.

While there will be no day-night Test in the subcontinent this summer, Howard says Australia are willing to play day-night cricket anywhere in the world and are looking forward to tackling India in their home conditions.

"We want to play red or pink ball Test cricket, we want to be adaptable,” Howard said.

"We’re very comfortable no matter what came and very positive about playing Test cricket in India in any way, shape or form.

"We’re not pushing it by any means, it’s their choice, and as you’ve seen with the Ashes we’re going to play one next year (in Adelaide) and so we’re comfortable against wither the red or pink ball."

During the tour of India, the Australians will be leaning heavily on the knowledge of assistant coach David Saker, who was part of the last foreign Test team to win on Indian soil in 2012.

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Saker was England’s bowling coach when they triumphed in the subcontinent in 2012 and Howard said his experience on that tour was a significant factor in his appointment last July.

"He (Saker) knows the international competition, he knows playing in England, he knows domestic players, he knew Peter Handscomb as he arrived on this doorstep,” Howard said.

"There’s lots of positives of David’s appointment. 2012 was absolutely key.

"Trevor Hohns was involved in (Australia’s Test) success of 2004, Darren Lehmann was on that tour in 2004.

"People have experienced that success and that’s an important mentality. The ability to be able to deal with (India) is absolutely part of that mindset we’re looking for."

Australia’s Test squad is set to be named in mid-January but the close proximity of India compared to locations such as England or the Caribbean means a large squad is not expected to be selected.

"It’s not a long flight to get over there so we can get players over there and fortunately underneath are players playing Shield at the time,” Howard said.

"Once the selectors get their ultimate numbers right then we’ll be able to find a way.

"We’re not going to do a set number but we are going to take the appropriate amount of people but also know people can get on a plane very quickly to get over there if required."