 "Ind vs Eng, 3rd Test: Ganguly feels hosts are favourites to win match")
Ahead of the pink-ball Test against England, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly said that the hosts are favourites to win the match, set to begin on Wednesday.
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"Indian cricket has changed a lot and our cricketers have done so well. I am sure if we play well, we are going to win it. I generally don't predict but I feel India is favourite here," Ganguly told ANI.
High on confidence after thrashing England in the second Test in Chennai, the Virat Kohli-led Indian team will look to keep the winning momentum going when they take the field in the pink-ball Test. A win will take them one step closer to a spot in the final of the maiden World Test Championship.
Ganguly also said that pink-ball Test is the future of Test cricket. "Pink-ball Test is the future of Test cricket. I remember when we hosted the pink-ball Test vs Bangladesh in Kolkata, it was a jam-packed stadium and the crowd also loved it. Cricketers also enjoy it, so I feel the pink-ball test has a long way to go," the BCCI president stated.
The Motera is now the world's largest cricket stadium with a capacity of 1,32,000 spectators. While most cricket grounds are built round in shape, the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad is oval. And the reason behind that is to ensure that the size of the boundary remains the same irrespective of the pitch on which a match is being played. There are a total of 11 pitches on the ground -- six are of red soil and five of black soil.
Commenting on the stadium, Ganguly said: "It's really a big day for the Indian cricket. Having such kind of facility is something which itself is saying everything. Motera Stadium is going to create history. We have many upcoming international tournaments and I am sure we'll stage many matches here, it's a fantastic stadium."
India needs to win the ongoing series by at least a margin of 2-1 to make the finals of the WTC, but if the side loses another game, Kohli and boys are out of the WTC contention. On the other hand, England has to win both the remaining matches to qualify for the WTC finals and if the series ends in a 1-1 or 2-2 draw, then Australia would make the finals of the WTC.