Adelaide to host India-Australia D/N Test, confirms Ganguly

Ganguly revealed that India will play a day-night Test in every series and confirmed that Ahmedabad will be a pink ball affair when England visits next year.

Adelaide is among the four venues at which India will play in Australia in a Test series later this year.

Test cricket will be the top priority for Sourav Ganguly and his team of administrators in the forthcoming season. Ganguly, as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), finalised a series of measures to attract spectators to watch Test cricket with the sole motive to protect the interests of the five-day format.

“We will play one day-night Test in each series beginning with the one against Australia (later this year),” Ganguly told Sportstar . He confirmed Adelaide as the venue for the day-night Test, one of four listed for the series where India will also play three ODIs and three T20Is.

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“I am convinced that day-night Test matches are the way forward. We saw a huge turnout at the Eden Gardens (last November) against Bangladesh and I know all countries are looking to encourage this idea. We are all for it,” he stressed. Ahmedabad will be the venue to host the second day-night Test in India during England’s visit next year.

Ganguly revealed the Board’s plans to “market” Test cricket. “We have formed a committee to market Test cricket. The committee will reach out to various stakeholders and sell Test cricket to the fans. There is a huge marketing potential waiting to be tapped,” he added.

NO ZONAL SYSTEM FOR SELECTORS

Ganguly insisted the Board had decided to do away with the zonal system in the selection committee. “There won’t be any zonal representation in the National selection committee. You can have two or even three from one zone” said Ganguly. The CAC will meet this week to conduct the interviews for two slots in the senior and the junior committee.

BCCI APP

As a measure to reach out to its fans, the BCCI is set to launch an App soon to interact directly with the supporters of the game. “We realise the potential that lies with our fans, majority of them being youth. The app will be launched to acknowledge the reach of social media. The app will allow the cricket fans of Indian cricket to interact directly with the BCCI. It’s a brilliant way to stay in touch with people who respect and love the game and the players,” noted Ganguly.

The Board also released a sum of two crore for the newly-formed Indian Cricketers Association (ICA). “We have released a sum of two-crore for the ICA to start functioning.

AD-HOC COMMITTEE TO RUN DDCA

In a major development, Ganguly disclosed that the Board would step in to ensure smooth functioning of the Delhi and District Cricket Association. He confirmed there had been numerous complaints against the present set of DDCA office-bearers. “We have received complaints from various quarters and will hold a Special General Meeting and appoint an ad-hoc committee to run cricket affairs of the DDCA. It will be done within a month,” Ganguly emphasised.