Asian countries face 'serious problems' hosting day-night Tests, says Mahela Jayawardene

Bengaluru, July 9: Former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene has raised concerns over day-night Test cricket succeeding in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh due to some "serious problems".

India keen to hosts D/N Test in 2017

Last year, Australia and New Zealand played the first-ever day-night Test with the pink ball. It was a huge success with hosts Australia winning at the Adelaide Oval. Again, Australia will face off in a day-night Test in November this year, against South Africa. (Warner raises concerns)

The concept of day-night Test cricket is gaining support as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and various countries' boards try to bring back crowds to stadiums to watch the traditional format.

The 39-year-old Jayawardene, who played 149 Tests and scored 11,814 runs with 34 centuries, has expressed his views on playing the five-day game under lights. ('D/N Test was a huge success')

"...this is a particularly problematic issue for Asian countries keen to introduce the concept. Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh all face serious problems with the dew at night," Jayawardene wrote in his column "Lion Tales" for "Sportstar" magazine yesterday (July 8). (Cricket needs innovation - Ganguly on D/N Tests)

"This (dew) is manageable in one-day cricket - although it still often unfairly disadvantages one team - but will be a huge issue for Test cricket. If combined with the grassy pitches, the dew will create treacherous conditions and wickets will tumble," he added.

Jayawardene, one of the most elegant batsmen to have played the game, felt Asian teams had to scarifice home advantage in day-night Tests.

"Asian teams would need to sacrifice their traditional advantage on dry, turning pitches and day-night Test matches would most likely be short affairs. I can't see the players enjoying themselves. It would be a huge challenge of skill and mental toughness, but also luck would play too great a part and you don't want that when you are talking about the game's ultimate format," he said.

For him, Australia, South Africa and England were the ideal places for pink-ball Tests. "The only countries where I can see day-night working reasonably well would be Australia, South Africa and England where dew is not severe," he said.

According to the Sri Lankan, only 2 or 3 day-night Tests per year are good. "Personally, though, I would prefer to see just two to three day-night Tests per year. I am a traditionalist at heart and believe that the Test game should not be tinkered with too much," he said.

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