Finest cricketers to grace India's maiden pink ball Test

Kolkata: India's finest cricketers including Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev will assemble during the country's first-ever day-night Test against Bangladesh, starting here on Friday.

The iconic Eden Gardens is all set to witness a musical extravaganza in the presence of former cricketers, celebrities and politicians during India and Bangladesh's first-ever pink ball Test.

According to BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, the second Test of the two-match series will be one to remember.

"Sachin (Tendulkar), (Sunil) Gavaskar, Kapil (Dev), Rahul (Dravid), Anil (Kumble) everyone will be there. In tea time, there will be carts going around the stadium with former captains in them," Ganguly said here on Wednesday.

"There is a musical performance at tea time and at the end of the day there is a felicitation. Both the teams, former captains, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chief Minister will be there.

"Runa Laila will be performing, Jeet Ganguly will be performing. I am very excited. Just see the excitement, four days are already sold out in a Test match," he added.

Asked whether after the Eden Test, India will play a day-night Test in its upcoming tour to Australia in January next year, Ganguly replied: "We will see."

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and BCCI have put in place several plans to mark India's maiden pink ball Test.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to ring the 'Eden Bell' along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the first day of the match.

Besides, a host of sporting starts, including star shuttler P V Sindhu, chess ace Viswanathan Anand and tennis sensation Sania Mirza are expected to grace the occasion.

As per plans, paratroopers are expected to fly into Eden to hand a pink ball each to captains Virat Kohli and Mominul Haque just before the toss.

The CAB has also organised a talk show featuring the 'Fabulous Five' of Indian cricket -- Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and V V S Laxman during the 40-minute dinner break. They will talk about the historic 2001 Test win against Australia at the Eden.

The CAB also plans to felicitate sporting stars, including Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, Sania Mirza, Sindhu and six-time boxing world champion MC Mary Kom among others.