Team India to play pink-ball Test with Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, confirms BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly

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New Delhi, February 3: Board of Control for the Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has on Thursday (February 3) confirmed that Team India will be playing a pink-ball Test against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru. India will play two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at home after the conclusion of the limited-overs series against the West Indies at the end of this month.

After the white-ball series against the West Indies concludes in Kolkata on February 20, India will host Sri Lanka for three T20Is and two Tests scheduled for late February and early March.

"Yes, the pink-ball Test will be happening in Bengaluru. We have not decided on all the venues for the Sri Lanka series yet, but it will be announced shortly," Ganguly was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

It will be just the third time India will host a pink-ball Test after playing against Bangladesh in Kolkata in November 2019 followed by facing England in Ahmedabad in February 2021. The Tests against Sri Lanka will have a new captain for India after Virat Kohli stepped down in January.

Ganguly also confirmed that IPL 2022 will be held in India unless a spike in Covid-19 cases spoils it. "It will be held in India this year, until and unless Covid-19 hits the roof. As far as venues are concerned, we are looking at hosting the matches in Maharashtra - Mumbai, and Pune. We will take a call on the venues for the knockout stages later."

He further confirmed that the women's T20 Challenge will be held this year in May. "The Women's T20 Challenge will again be back this year in May. Hopefully, in the future, we will be able to host a bigger women's IPL once the number of women players (player pool) goes up. But this year, the Women's T20 Challenge will happen during the IPL playoffs."

Before the Test series, the selectors will be tasked to appoint the new Test cricketer as Virat Kohli relinquished captaincy after Team India's series loss against South Africa last month.