India will have a two-day warm-up game with the pink ball ahead of the day-night Test match against Australia later this year.
The Indian men’s Test side will play a day-night game in Adelaide from December 6 later this year. It will be the second match of the five-match series, which starts on November 22 in Perth.
The two-day warm-up game will be played between India and the Prime Minister’s XI at the Manuka Oval on November 30 and December 1. The Prime Minister’s XI has traditionally faced the touring team for a four-day warm-up game in the past, but India’s match has been reduced to a two-day fixture.
Ahead of the five Tests, India will also play a four-day intra-squad warm-up match at the WACA.
What happened when India and Australia last played a pink-ball Test match?
The schedule for the five-Test series between Australia and India has been announced.
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) March 26, 2024
The two sides will also play a Pink-Ball Test in Adelaide, on December 6. pic.twitter.com/P9TeZByym1
India’s last day-night game against Australia was on their last tour to the country, in 2021-22. India, infamously, lost the clash by eight wickets after they were all out for 36 runs in the second innings. The game was also held in Adelaide.
However, the side managed a dramatic comeback to win the series 2-1, recording their second successive series triumph in the country.
India last played a day-night Test in 2022 when they took on Sri Lanka in Bengaluru. It was the last of the four pink-ball games they had been involved in. Jay Shah, the BCCI Secretary, explained India are not involved in more such matches because of the limited interest among the fans.
“We will have to increase the amount of interest in the public for the pink-ball Test. If you recall, the (pink-ball) Tests ended in two-three days. Everyone wants to watch a Test match lasting four-five days.”
Australia, on the other hand, have played 12 pink-ball Tests, all of which have been at home.
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