The Cricket Association of Bengal had first tried out the day-night formula in the longer format of the sport by introducing the pink Kookaburra balls in the final of the local Super League tournament.
The four day final was played between June 18 and 21 in 2016 at the Eden Gardens.
The then CAB president Ganguly had said that the Super League final will be “a pink-ball experiment” to get the venue ready for the day-night Test, which he hopes will become a reality.
“Nothing is confirmed now. The possibility of a day-night Test will depend on the success of the Duleep Trophy. So, we are trying to have a feel of it by organising CAB Super League final in a day-night format,” Ganguly had said at the time.
The CAB had also allowed the two finalists of the Super League to practise with the pink Kookaburra balls at the Eden Gardens before the final.
Adaptability
Giving instances of how Test matches being marketed in England and Australia, Ganguly had said: "It is about marketing. I cannot believe (Virat) Kohli standing up against Jimmy Anderson and people not coming (to watch).
"Pink ball is the way forward (in Test cricket). You have to find a way to bring people to the ground. Everything needs a bit of innovation. Nobody thought Indian Premier League (IPL) would be so popular till it came into being.”
World Cup winning Australian cricketer Dean Jones, who worked as a commentator during the first ever pink ball Test between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide in last November, had described the experience as "thrilling".
“There were 3.6 to 3.7 million followers. Test is still a premium format in Australia. It's not just the pink ball, it is the experience, the entertainment, attached to a Test match that is making it better.”
A prolific middle order batsman of yesteryear, V. V. S. Laxman had said challenges of playing the pink ball could be easily handled.
“In 1998, we were playing a Test match in New Zealand and four days were washed out. For the spectators, we decided to play a one-day match in white clothes and red ball and that too under lights. Mind is so powerful, it can conquer any challenge.”
Ganguly shared his experience of playing with the pink ball.
“When I was captaining MCC five seasons ago in Dubai, I had no problem in sighting it. Sehwag got a hundred. The brightness was a lot better.”
The trio had stressed that adaptability would be the key in pink ball cricket, which had the potential to bring back fans to the stands for the longer version of the game.
“Pink is the new red. Trust me,” quipped Jones.
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