Eden Gardens to host India's first pink ball match

Eden Gardens will have the privilege of hosting the first ever match played with a pink Kookaburra ball in India, reports The Indian Express. This is a brainchild of CAB president Sourav Ganguly who has shown keen interest in test matches being played with the pink ball. 

The final of the CAB super league to be organised under light will be played with a pink ball instead of the conventional white ball. Eight teams will take part in this local tournament. BCCI has earlier indicated that it is planning to host a couple of matches under lights and CAB has expressed desire of organising one of them.  

Indian Express quoted Ganguly as saying, “Pink ball cricket indeed is the way forward. Test cricket’s popularity has been steadily declining and we must do something to arrest the slide. The pink ball Test in Australia last year received overwhelmingly positive response (from the fans) and we must embrace the change. The Super League final under lights is an experiment with an eye to hosting day/night Tests in the near future. I think it would be a very good experience".

Former Indian skipper also informed that already pink balls have been procured for the match. The tournament will be held between June 17-20. The BCCI technical committee has earlier suggested that Duleep Trophy should be played under lights. The first day and night test was held between Australia and New Zealand last year in November at Adelaide.