Despite the fact that the ICC has given the green signal to the four-day Test matches on a trial basis but according to the recent reports it seems that Team India is not going to the shortened version of the longest format any sooner.

ICC’s decision was taken during recent ICC board meeting in Auckland with South Africa and Zimbabwe set to play the first evet four-day ‘Test’ on the ‘Boxing Day’.

However, BCCI wants to stick to traditional format as a senior BCCI official said, “India will not play any four day Test matches, at least in the near future. Any Test match involving India will be a five-day affair. The BCCI believes that there is a lot of merit in Anil Kumble-led Cricket Committee’s recommendations that duration should not be tinkered with. But since four-day Test matches are bi-partite agreements, if two nations are okay, they will go ahead with it.”

The other reason for BCCI not giving green signal to four day Test is because there are no points awarded for the proposed Test league. The official said, “Only five-day Tests will have points that will be counted for the World Test Championship. What’s the point in playing matches that won’t count for anything. In any case, if we play Ireland or Afghanistan also, it will be five-day affairs.”

It is learned that ICC’s is looking forward to promoting four-day Test is to ensure that Ireland and Afghanistan are softened into the system along with Zimbabwe being able to remain competitive.

One of the BCCI officials said, “Let’s be practical. For Ireland or Afghanistan, it will be very difficult that they can be competitive in a five-day format straightaway. If Test matches against these countries end inside three days or little over it, it is only logical that four-day Tests are tried out.”