International Cricket Council president David Morgan on Wednesday predicted day-night Tests within the next two years and said he would be both surprised and disappointed if it does not happen.
Test cricket's dwindling popularity has prompted cricket administrators to explore possibilities of shoring up the longer version which apparently is on its last leg and Morgan feels day-night Tests could be the way out.
"Eighteen months ago I wouldn't have been overly enthusiastic about this, thinking of tradition and records," Morgan was quoted as saying by the Press Association.
"But Test cricket has changed over 130 years and there are now very good reasons for bringing crowds out.
"I'd be surprised if we don't see day-night Test cricket within the next two years - surprised and disappointed," Morgan said.
Morgan said day-night Tests are tailor-made for humid countries and he expects the innovation to find takers even in England as well where the longer version continued to draw decent crowd.
"If you look at a country like Australia with big stadium and very hot conditions, it's made for day-night Test cricket.
"There is no reason why day-night Test cricket won't be attractive in England, like one-day and Twenty20. But it's in other countries that will be driving it," Morgan said.
The ICC chief asserted that the governing body considered Test cricket as the ultimate but it is not blind to the fact either that this version is not uniformly popular.
"At the ICC we regard Test cricket as pinnacle of the game - it's the form of the game cricketers seek to play.
"The ICC has recognised that in some countries Test cricket is not that popular in terms of people paying at the gate," Morgan said.
