India Vs. West Indies: Virat Kohli for pink ball exposure before D/N Test

Virat Kohli and co are unwilling to play day-night Test against the Windies in October as the Indian players don’t want to risk it without practice.
The CoA has also asked BCCI to stage day-night Tests in metro cities for easy crowd access instead of seeing Hyderabad and Rajkot as possible venues.

Contrary to the stand taken by the BCCI old guard including acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary to host a day-night Test to boost fan’s interest, it appears the team management has its reservations since the players haven’t tested the Kookaburra pink ball. This was also Rai’s primary concern when he had proposed that the cricketers should be consulted before the day-night Test is given a go-ahead.

“Initially, even Kohli wasn’t sure about the long-term impact of playing day-night Test without having a proper trial of it. But now, both Kohli and Shastri are in agreement that India should not rush into day-night Test just as yet,” said a source, reported TOI, while adding that India would eventually play it but only after the team is convinced.

While the body clock of the players and their unpreparedness has been a concern, other concerns for a day-night test include how spectators would return home late at night and the huge security. Rai, in his mail to BCCI, has pointed out that Hyderabad and Rajkot aren’t favourable venues for day-night Tests and the board should instead be looking to host them in big cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Delhi, where the stadiums are the heart of the city. Not only would it assure perfect public transport but also security.

CoA has also expressed its unhappiness with BCCI’s practice of the officials calling the shots without consulting the players. Though Kohli has also been accused of having bigger say on BCCI’s Future Tour Programme, CoA has shot it down arguing cricket is for cricketers.