Sheikh Hasina and Mamata Banerjee Inaugurate India’s First Day and night Test Match

THE City of Joy turned pink as India and Bangladesh on Thursday, November 22, made debut in day and night test match with the pink-ball at the iconic cricket stadium at Eden Garden in the historic city.With Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ringing the ceremonial bell, India’s first-ever day-night Test commenced. BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, Secretary Jai Shah, Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and several other famed sportspersons   besides thousands of spectators and political bigwigs were present to watch the history in the cricket world unfolding. Ganguly, who had been passionately bating for day and night cricket, said   the objective is to increase crowds and TV audiences for the longest format of the game. Day-night Tests were successfully introduced in 2015.Ganguly succeeded in convincing the Bangladesh Cricket Board to play a Test under floodlights .As of now,11 day-night Tests have been played worldwide since Australia and New Zealand played the first-ever pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval in November 2015.Cricket Australia wanted the Adelaide Test to become a permanent day-night fixture and hoped for India to agree but the visitors did not endorse the idea during their most successful tour. India Captain Virat Kohli says day-night Test against Bangladesh will be a landmark occasion for Indian cricket. “The pink-ball Test is a challenge for us. It is very exciting for us as the energy will be very high. It is a landmark occasion,” Virat Kohli said at a media briefing.”I can’t speak for another team or board. But our conversations with the BCCI over the last few years has been to improve our Test game,” Virat Kohli said. (Edited by PK Chakravarty with inputs from India TV)