The camaraderie between Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni is quite well known in the cricketing circles and over time, both cricketers have showed their love for each other on social media. Ahead of India’s first-ever Day-Night Test against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Kohli posted an old photo of himself and MS Dhoni training in the nets. “Partners in crime.. Crime : stealing doubles from fielders at the boundary. Guess who,” he posted on Twitter.
India have traditionally been reluctant to embrace innovation in cricket but on Friday, after much heel-dragging, they will finally experience a day-night Test when they face neighbours Bangladesh in Kolkata. The game’s most influential nation were the last major team to jump on the Twenty20 bandwagon and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) doggedly resisted the Decision Review System before accepting it almost reluctantly.
They have been immune to the charms of day-night tests and turned down an offer to play one last year in Adelaide, where Australia had hosted New Zealand in the first ever pink-ball test in 2015. However, former captain Sourav Ganguly, who was appointed BCCI president last month, is a champion of the concept. Ganguly said it took him “three seconds” to convince Kohli to meet Bangladesh in what will be the maiden day-night test for both sides.
Ravichandran Ashwin feels Day/Night Tests will mark a new beginning for the traditional format in the country as the spectator count will improve drastically owing to the match timings.
Partners in crime.. Crime : stealing doubles from fielders at the boundary . Guess who
“I just hope this marks the beginning of where we get huge crowds coming into the stadium and test cricket gets its credit and obviously with the change in timings people can afford to finish their work and come into the game, watch it and enjoy it,” Ashwin said.
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