Discover the full list of Day/Night Test matches played by the Indian cricket team up to 2024. Highlighting India’s pink-ball encounters, this summary includes details on venues, opponents, and memorable performances, showcasing India’s growing experience in this unique Test cricket format under lights.
India’s First Day/Night Test Match: A Milestone Achieved in 2019
This format uses a pink ball, as other colors like red, orange, and yellow proved difficult to spot under floodlights. The BCCI initially took time to evaluate the Day/Night Test concept before organizing India’s first pink-ball Test in 2019. Since then, the Indian cricket team has maintained a balanced record in this format.
List of all Day/Night test matches played by Indian cricket team:
1. India vs Bangladesh, Kolkata, 2019
India’s maiden Day/Night test match was against Bangladesh. It was played in Kolkata in November 2019. The Indian seamers ran riot in the game, bowling Bangladesh out for 106 and 195 on either side of India’s only innings in the match, in which they scored 347/9d. Ishant Sharma took nine wickets in the match and Umesh Yadav took eight wickets. Virat Kohli hit a brilliant century, scoring 136 runs in 194 balls.
| Team | Innings | Score | Key Performances |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | 1st Innings | 106 all out | Ishant Sharma: 5/22; Umesh Yadav: 3/29 |
| India | Only Innings | 347/9 declared | Virat Kohli: 136 (194); Ajinkya Rahane: 51 (69); Umesh Yadav: 31* (10) |
| Bangladesh | 2nd Innings | 195 all out | Ishant Sharma: 4/56; Umesh Yadav: 5/53 |
- Match Highlights
- Result: India won by an innings and 46 runs.
- Bowling Stars: Ishant Sharma (9 wickets in the match) and Umesh Yadav (8 wickets in the match).
- Batting Highlight: Virat Kohli’s masterful 136, supported by Rahane’s half-century.
2. India vs Australia, Adelaide, 2020
The Adelaide test between India and Australia from the 2020/21 tour remains infamous for India getting bowled out for only 36 runs in their second innings. This was India’s first away day/night test match. Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins combined to claim nine wickets as India succumbed to their lowest test score. Australia won the match by eight wickets. Tim Paine was named Man of the Match for his fighting knock of 73* and seven catches.
| Match Details | India vs Australia, Adelaide, 2020 |
|---|---|
| Series | India Tour of Australia 2020/21 |
| Format | Day/Night Test (Pink Ball) |
| Venue | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide |
| India 1st Innings | 244 (Virat Kohli 74, Pat Cummins 3/48, Mitchell Starc 4/53) |
| Australia 1st Innings | 191 (Tim Paine 73*, Ravichandran Ashwin 4/55, Umesh Yadav 3/40) |
| India 2nd Innings | 36 (Josh Hazlewood 5/8, Pat Cummins 4/21) |
| Australia 2nd Innings | 93/2 (Joe Burns 51*) |
| Result | Australia won by 8 wickets |
| Player of the Match | Tim Paine (73* and 7 catches) |
| Notable Highlight | India’s lowest-ever Test innings total (36 all out). |
3. India vs England, Ahmedabad, 2021
Axar Patel had a chokehold on the England batsmen in the 2021 home series. In the third test of the series, which was a pink-ball match, he bagged 11 wickets in all, registering figures of 6/38 & 5/32, while R Ashwin took seven wickets as England were bowled out for totals of only 112 and 81. India were handed a small target of 49 runs, which openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill chased down comfortably while remaining unbeaten.
| Match Detail | India vs England, Ahmedabad, 2021 |
|---|---|
| Format | Pink-Ball Test (3rd Test of the Series) |
| England 1st Innings | 112 all out (Axar Patel 6/38, R Ashwin 3/26) |
| India 1st Innings | 145 all out (Rohit Sharma 66; Jack Leach 4/54, Jofra Archer 3/23) |
| England 2nd Innings | 81 all out (Axar Patel 5/32, R Ashwin 4/48) |
| India 2nd Innings | 49/0 (Rohit Sharma 25*, Shubman Gill 15*) |
| Result | India won by 10 wickets |
| Key Performers | Axar Patel (11 wickets: 6/38 & 5/32), R Ashwin (7 wickets: 3/26 & 4/48), Rohit Sharma (66 runs) |
4. India vs Sri Lanka, Bengaluru, 2022
Another home day/night test match and it was another big win for the Indian cricket team as they thumped Sri Lanka by 238 runs in Bengaluru in 2022. Batting first, India were bowled out for 252 runs with Shreyas Iyer being the top-scorer (92). In reply, Sri Lanka were knocked out for an even lower total of 109 runs as Jasprit Bumrah took a five-for. Half-centuries from Iyer and Pant in India’s second innings handed Sri Lanka a target of 447 runs. The bowlers then bundled the Lankans for 208, with Ashwin claiming a four-wicket haul, to seal a big win.
| Match | India’s 1st Innings | Sri Lanka’s 1st Innings | India’s 2nd Innings | Sri Lanka’s 2nd Innings | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India vs Sri Lanka, Bengaluru, 2022 | 252 (Shreyas Iyer 92) | 109 (Jasprit Bumrah 5/24) | 303/9 declared (Iyer 67, Pant 50) | 208 (R. Ashwin 4/55) | India won by 238 runs |
5. India vs Australia, Adelaide, 2024
India suffered another humiliating loss in pink-ball test in Adelaide. On their 2024 tour of Australia, the Asian giants lost the day/night encounter by 10 wickets. After electing to bat first, India were bowled out for 180 runs as Starc took six wickets. Then Travis Head blasted a century, hammering 140 runs off 141 balls, as Australia ended with a lead of 157 runs. Cummins’s five-for in India’s second innings bundled them out for 175 runs, setting Australia a slender target of 19 runs.
| Team | Innings | Runs Scored | Key Performers |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 1st Innings | 180 | Starc (6 wickets) |
| Australia | 1st Innings | 337 | Travis Head (140 off 141 balls) |
| India | 2nd Innings | 175 | Cummins (5 wickets) |
| Australia | Target (2nd Innings) | 19 | – |