Why Did Floodlights Go Off On Day 1 Of India vs Australia Day-Night Test? Report Says, "Australian Team's Request..."

After the opening day of the pink-ball Test between Australia and India at the iconic Adelaide Oval was twice disrupted due to a rare floodlight failure, the Cricket Australia issued a statement clarifying the reason of the failure as “switching issue”. The new LED lighting system, installed in late 2023 at a cost of over $5 million, went out not once but twice, leaving players, commentators, and the crowd of 50,186 in stunned disbelief. In the wake of the controversy, Cricket Australia issued a statement acknowledging the issue: “We had a brief internal switching issue that was quickly identified and rectified.”

The light failure, initially seen as a technical glitch, was later revealed to be the result of human error. According to reports from The Age, the incident stemmed from the Australian team's request for net lights to be turned on for an evening training session. As Australia's top order faced a disciplined Indian bowling attack, ground staff mistakenly switched off the stadium's four main light towers instead of activating the net lights.

The first stoppage occurred during the 18th over of Australia's innings, causing a 25-second delay. However, within moments of play resuming, the error was repeated, this time leading to an extended break of 86 seconds. The double mishap left players visibly frustrated and commentators questioning the efficiency of the newly installed lighting system.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma, bowler Harshit Rana, and Australian batters Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne were among those left waiting on the field during the unexpected blackout. The second incident, occurring shortly after the first, exacerbated the situation, leaving players and spectators in limbo for more than a