Day/Night Test: The Only Way To Survive for Test Cricket?

Cricket needs change! Ever since the first Cricket Test match played between England & Australian Cricket teams, in 1877, Cricket has gone through many changes. And now, most critics believe that some rigorous changes need to be made to the Test Cricket in order to keep it alive!

Test Cricket is the purest form of the game. Cricket, widely considered as World’s 2^nd most famous sport, has gone through different forms of transformation in the last 133 years. From 8-ball over to 6-ball over, from white uniform to colored team kit, from Red ball to White ball, and from 5-day cricket to 1-day cricket and now the 20-over cricket and so on.

The most recent change that everyone is talking about is the Day/Night Test. The proposed idea is said to be important in terms of avoiding the death of Test Cricket. Most of the heavy weights have supported this idea. Former Australian captain Steve Waugh, and the Indian Cricket legend, Rahul Dravid, have also supported the D/N Test Cricket idea, so as Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan Cricket team skipper.

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has also backed this idea of Day/Night Test matches. MCC is widely considered as the Conservative Guardians of Cricket tradition. In recently held meeting of MCC, it was agreed upon that the Day/Night Test matches were the only way to salvage the longest version of the game. The MCC has also raised concerns about the percentage of the audience who see Test Matches in India, which is only 11% of the total Indian audience watching all formats of the sport.

As proposed, the Day/Night Test matches will be played with

Pink Ball, instead of White or the traditional Red ball. This ball will be easily sighted by the batsmen under the floodlights as compared to the Red Ball. 

Well, in my opinion, the Day/Night Test matches should be initiated, at least on experimental basis. As expected, this will create more interests among the audience, because it’s a big change after all.

But what is more important to me is that what sort of pitches is used for Test Matches. Pitches must be sporting so that they encourage a balance between ball and bat. Of course, pitches are important for all forms of the game. But since we are always going to have a result in ODIs and T20 Cricket, which is not the case with Test Cricket, we must ensure that the especially the Test matches should be played on good supporting pitches.

Cricket, especially the Test cricket is really facing a few problems. ICC should take some solid steps to make sure that the Test Cricket does not lose its audience. The proposed Day/Night Test might be an option in this regard!

Your Turn Now: What do you think? Is Test Cricket really in danger? Should ICC allow Day/Night Test Matches? Is Pink Ball a good alternative to Red one? Or Anything Else…Tell in your COMMENTS!