India captain Virat Kohli supports ‘exciting’ prospect of day-night Test

Cricket's longest format has seen dwindling crowds at grounds

India captain Virat Kohli (Getty Images)

Virat Kohli, the India captain, is “excited” Australia and New Zealand have agreed to play cricket’s first day-night Test and called the match starting on Friday at the Adelaide Oval a “landmark” occasion.

The longest format of the game has seen dwindling crowds at grounds and the International Cricket Council believes day-night Tests can address the problem.

“It is a landmark Test,” Kohli said yesterday ahead of India’s third Test against South Africa in Nagpur. “It is a big experiment. It is a big step towards changing something in Test cricket. I hope it works. I hope it can be another option as well. I’m glad two teams have actually agreed to play an official Test like that as an experiment.

“Credit to Australia and New Zealand, both, that they have decided to do this. Hopefully, it will be better for the game. It will be a step which we all might remember a few years down the line. Let’s hope so.”

Meanwhile, Chris Cairns must wait until at least Friday to learn if he is to be convicted of perjury after the jury at London’s Southwark Crown Court did not return a verdict at the end of a full afternoon of deliberations yesterday.