No Pink Ball This Season: Anurag Thakur Ends All Speculation

The BCCI president said more experiments needed to be conducted before a final call was taken.

Anurag Thakur puts all the speculation about the pink ball to rest. (Photo: AP)

The pink ball will not be used in Test cricket this home season, said BCCI president Anurag Thakur, putting all the speculation of India hosting its first ever day-night Test to rest.

Thakur said that more experiments like the one in the Duleep Trophy were needed before BCCI took the “final call” on introducing the pink ball in Test matches.

It is too early to say anything (about pink ball). As far as trying it in Duleep Trophy under lights is concerned, it was a big success. But you need to look at overall picture before you take the final call. I think we need to look into many areas before we take the final call. I would like to go into details in a scientific manner to take the final call. As of now, we are not ready to implement pink ball this season.

Anurag Thakur, BCCI President

With this statement, Thakur put to rest speculation on India hosting its first ever day-night Test in the long home season comprising 13 Tests which will go up to February-March.

Pink ball was expected to be used in the ongoing Test series with New Zealand but the decision was put off amid speculation that it could be done in the upcoming home series against England and Australia.

The Cricket Board chief explained why more time was needed before using the pink ball on a more regular basis.

First, how to make it more interesting (for fans) and result-oriented. If you have matches like the one in Kanpur (which lasted five days), well done. Second, how do you involve more fans who come to the ground or watch it on TV? Third, you really need to look into areas as to how (pink ball) is impacting Test cricket at a time when enough people are not coming to watch Test cricket.

Anurag Thakur

The pink ball will not be used this home season, said Anurag Thakur.

Also Read: Can Pink Ball Actually Revolutionise The Future Of Test Cricket?

Another factor that needed to be kept in mind, said Thakur was the “role of pink ball or red ball in terms of seam, shine, turn, swing and late swing.”

Thakur said the pink ball should be tested in at least a couple of domestic seasons before it is used in Tests. “Let us take Test matches to smaller venues and see if it makes any difference. You need to take it to much smaller centres where people have not seen international cricket,” he added.

Though Duleep Trophy with pink ball was a success, it attracted mixed response from the current and former players. There was no reverse swing on offer in the recently-held tournament as the ball held its shine for longer periods and vicious turn was also not on offer.

(With inputs from PTI.)