India has declined to play a day-night Test in Australia this summer.
Cricket Australia on Tuesday confirmed the first Test against India in Adelaide from December 6-10 will be a day format after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) rejected a pink-ball clash.
"We can confirm that we have received advice from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that it is not prepared to participate in a proposed Day-Night Test in Adelaide this summer," a CA spokesperson said.
"Whilst we appreciate some Adelaide fans may be disappointed, we know how popular the Adelaide Test is and look forward to hosting India there in December.
"We are committed to hosting at least one day-night Test each home summer as part of our continued focus to grow Test cricket, and we are excited about the day-night Test against Sri Lanka at the Gabba in January."
Indian media reports quote an email send by the Committee of Administrators (CoA) secretary Choudhary to CA chief executive James Sutherland.
“I am directed to say by the Committee of Administrators that India would begin to play in the format only in about a year’s time. Under the circumstances, I regret to say that the proposed D/N test cannot be played and all tests will have to have the conventional structure,” Choudhary is quoted in the e-mail to Sutherland.
An ardent cricket fan, Azhar Pathan says India's refusal to accept this new format is disappointing.
"I was looking forward to going to Adelaide Oval with my family to witness India's first pink ball day-night test match. It would have been a great opportunity to see India's first game with these new features.
"Their decision to not play a day-night is very disappointing. It is quite hot in summer. It would have been great if they had agreed to play in the evening," he says.
