Mumbai :Former Australian batsman Mark Waugh has slammed the Indian cricket team for its refusal to play Day-Night Test cricket, calling it a hindrance to future of the format and labelling the decision ‘selfish’.
“It’s a little bit selfish from India’s point of view because we need to revitalise Test cricket. Day-Night Test cricket in some countries is going to be one of those ingredients that could transform Test cricket back to where it should be,” Waugh told Big Sports Breakfast radio, a few days after another Australian legend, Ian Chappell, had hit out at the Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) for the same.
“So it’s really only Australia, India and England where Test cricket is alive and well,” he said. “For me that’s a concern,” added Waugh.
India and Bangladesh have not yet played a day-night Test match.
Waugh further argued that he didn’t understand India’s reluctance to play day-night Test cricket given their depth in squad.
“Their team is pretty well suited to Day-Night cricket, they’ve got a string of fast bowlers, so they don’t just rely on the spinners and their batsman are technically very good as well,” he said.
“So for the greater good of the game, I would have loved to have seen that as a Day-Night Test.”
India’s tour of Australia, which will begin on November 21 and end on January 18, features three T20Is, four Tests and three ODIs.
India ruled out the possibility of playing Australia in a Day-Night Test match at the Adelaide Oval in December.
Cricket Australia’s proposal to the BCCI to host the Indian team in the day-night match was rejected via an email by BCCI’s acting secretary to CA CEO James Sutherland, confirming that Australia’s Adelaide will not be a pink-ball affair.
