Sourav Ganguly Thanks BCB, Virat Kohli For Assenting To Play Day-Night Test at Eden Gardens

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, whose efforts for pink ball Test in India yielded results on Tuesday after Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) agreed to play Day-Night Test against India during their upcoming tour next month, said that he was “extremely honoured” that Eden Gardens will host the inaugural Day-Night Test match. The BCCI chief also thanked Indian skipper Virat Kohli for his “co-operation”.

“I'm extremely honoured that Eden Gardens will host the inaugural Day-Night Test match. I thank Bangladesh Cricket Board President & his team for accepting our request on such short notice. I also thank India Captain Virat Kohli for his co-operation,” Ganguly said.

India is set to play its first-ever Day-Night Test match at Eden Gardens against Bangladesh from November 22. This will be the second game of the two-match Test series between the neighbouring countries.

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The Day-Night Test, played with a Pink Ball, came into realisation during the 2015 Test between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide. The success of the Test, with regards to attendances at the stadium and the television ratings, charted a new course for Test matches.

Soon after taking over as the BCCI chief, Ganguly had proposed the idea to the Bangladesh Cricket Board. On Ganguly’s request, the BCB convinced its players despite their initial resentment. “It's a good development. Test cricket needs this push. Me and my team were bent on it and thanks to Virat (Kohli) also, he agreed," Ganguly said.

Bangladeshi team is scheduled to tour India for three T20 Internationals and two Tests, starting November 3. While the first Test will be played in Indore, Kolkata’s Eden Gardens will host the second match that will be team India’s first-ever Day-Night Test.