Adelaide odds on to host a day-night Test against India but IPL delaying greenlight

Why Adelaide is odds on to host a day-night Test against India and reason for a delay in greenlight from Virat Kohli.

Royal Challengers Bangalore and India captain Virat Kohli (R) is key to support for a day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide. Picture: Manjunath Kiran/Getty.

SOUTH Australian Cricket Association chief executive Keith Bradshaw says Adelaide remains a strong shot at hosting a day-night Test against India as IPL commitments delay a final decision from kingpin Virat Kohli.

The Advertiser understands Kohli will provide a decision on player support for a pink-ball Test against India in Adelaide from December 6 once the preliminary rounds of the IPL conclude in three weeks.

“We need to be patient, hopeful there will be a day-night Test,” Bradshaw told The Advertiser.

“They (India) are looking at a day-night Test against the West Indies and from that there is a good chance we will have a day-night Test as well.

“Those negotiations I believe are promising between Cricket Australia and the BCCI.”

Kohli is embedded in TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people given his successful reign as skipper and No.1 ICC ranking as premier batsman over a cricket-mad, 1.2 billion population.

“My understanding is the Indian players are key to the situation. I am sure that Virat Kohli is a major influence on that decision,” said Bradshaw, acknowledging conflicting reports about India’s support for day-night Tests.

Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore are languishing in seventh spot, two games out of fourth spot on the IPL ladder.

“The fact that the IPL is running, the players are busy with playing commitments, it is not easy for the BBCI to make a decision in the time frame they would like to,” Bradshaw said.

CA boss James Sutherland yesterday noted India was not “the first country that has had trepidation at pink ball cricket’’.

New Zealand, South Africa and England were reluctant to pursue day-night Tests against Australia in Adelaide before concerns were neutralised by financial reward and or lead-in games.

Bradshaw conceded the twilight period against the pink ball required initial adjustment for batsmen. However, day-night Tests are here to stay insists Bradshaw and “not an experiment’’.

“There is no doubt the Indian cricket team love playing at Adelaide Oval. It would be fair to say the pink ball has added a new dimension and through the twilight period is assisting the bowlers. India would need to be comfortable with that,” said Bradshaw.

“It is a case of when not if with day-night Test cricket. It is mature technology, accepted we are going to be playing day-night Tests.”

Bradshaw says Adelaide fans will make the Border-Gavaskar series opener a success whether played under day-night or day conditions and deserved “premium content”.

Adelaide will host South Africa and India in one-day games on November 9 and January 15.

Hosting two one-dayers and an India Test, noted Bradshaw, overcame any concern with not hosting Australia Day fixtures.

Brisbane will host a day-night Test between Australia and Sri Lanka from January 24, 2019.