The prestigious Duleep Trophy will return to the domestic first class cricket calendar in the 2016-17 season in a new avatar with matches being day-night affairs played with a pink ball, it was announced.
The traditional tournament, started by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 1961-62, wasn’t played last year due to a cramped schedule. But it will make a return in the glamorous new model, according to BCCI.
The success of the first-ever day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand at Adelaide in November last year, has prompted BCCI to take the step, in an attempt to engage dwindling audience interest.
The maiden Australia-New Zealand day-night Test saw record crowds attend the historic event, with footfall in excess of 45,000 every day.
BCCI hopes the experiment will revive interest in the Duleep Trophy that has lost some of its sheen in recent years.
Current Affairs: 5th January, 2016 Current Affairs Round up December, 2015.
Join The Discussion