ImageCourtesy:@BCCI/Twitter
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly on Thursday confirmed that the Test series between India and Sri Lanka will include a pink-ball Test in Bengaluru. The team from the island nation is scheduled to tour India for two Tests and three T20Is later this month.
“Yes, the pink-ball Test will be happening in Bengaluru. We have not decided on all the venues for the Sri Lanka series yet, but it will be announced shortly,” Ganguly told Sportstar.
It will be the third pink-ball Test to be hosted by India. The team played against Bangladesh in the first day-night Test on Indian soil in Kolkata (2019) and met England in Ahmedabad (2021). The Test series against Sri Lanka will also mark India’s first appearance in the longest format since Virat Kohli stepped down as Test captain in January. The BCCI is yet to appoint India’s next full-time captain in the format.
Team India is slated to return to action on February 6 with the first of three ODIs against the West Indies in Ahmedabad. The ODI on Sunday will also mark India’s 1000th appearance in the format and Ganguly insisted that fans will be missed in one of India’s iconic moments in cricket history.
“I was the captain of India in the 500th ODI (against England at the Riverside in Chester-le-Street on July 4, 2002). It is a big moment for Indian cricket, but unfortunately, the match will be played without a crowd. The series, too, will be played in empty stadiums. It could have been done in a much better way had there been no Covid-19, but you cannot help it,” said Ganguly.
“Due to Covid-19 restrictions, we can’t really plan anything for this iconic fixture.”
India will become the first team to play 1000 ODIs.