Aussies confirm format after India rejects day-night test

Published May. 7, 2018 9:11 p.m. ET

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Cricket Australia has dropped plans to stage a day-night test against India at Adelaide in December after the tourists rejected the pink ball format.

Australian officials say the Dec. 6-10 series-opener will be played in the traditional format after ''we received advice from the Board of Control for Cricket in India that it is not prepared to participate in a proposed day-night test in Adelaide this summer.''

The four-match series will otherwise go ahead as proposed, with the subsequent tests in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The Australians will then host a two-test series against Sri Lanka, starting Jan. 24 with a day-night match in Brisbane followed by a test debut for Manuka Oval in Canberra.

''We are committed to hosting at least one day-night test each home summer as part of our continued focus to grow test cricket, and we are excited about the day-night test against Sri Lanka at the Gabba,'' Cricket Australia said in the statement.

The Australians have won all four day-night test matches they've hosted, including the first ever against New Zealand in 2015 and last year's Ashes first against England.

The test series will be preceded by a limited-overs international series and a Twenty20 international against South Africa in November.