Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has confirmed that India will be playing a pink-ball Test against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru during the latter’s upcoming tour to India. (More Cricket News)
However, the former India skipper added that the BCCI hasn’t finalized all the venues for the upcoming tour which includes two Test matches and three T20Is against the Lankans.
“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 is worth noting that India have played a total of three pink-ball Tests for far. They played their first pink-ball Test match against Bangladesh in November 2019 in Kolkata. India won the game by an innings and 46 runs with Ishant Sharma wreaking havoc with the ball and returning figures of 5/22 and 4/56.
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India’s second pink-ball game was against Australia in December 2020. It was one of the most dissapointing games for India they played in the format as the side suffered to an 8 wicket loss at the hands of the Aussies but what dented their morale was the fact that they got bundled out for mere 36 runs – their lowest total in Tests – in the second innings.
In February 2021, India played against England in their third pink-ball Test. That game in Ahmedabad was won by India by a big margin. With figures of 6/38 and 5/32, Axar Patel was the star of India’s 10-wicket victory over the Three Lions.
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Before hosting Sri Lanka, India host West Indies in three-match ODIs and T20I series series of as many matches.
The upcoming ODIs against West Indies starting February 6 will be the first time when head coach Rahul Dravid will have Rohit Sharma to lead the side in the format.
"I wish them all the best. They have had great careers so far and I am sure they will do well for India. I cannot predict what is going to happen, but there is enough confidence in both to do well," said Ganguly.
