Swing on offer, tricky for finger-spinners: What Indian cricketers have been saying about pink ball

Many of the Indian cricketers will be playing the pink-ball Test for the first time when they face Bangladesh on Friday in a historic day-night match.

Despite apprehensions over the quality of the pink balls provided for the match by SG, the expectations now are that the bowlers will get a fair bit of assistance at Eden Gardens.

The Indian pacers, especially, will be licking their lips after playing a massive role in their side’s win in the first Test. Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav have been firing on all cylinders and picked up 14 of the 20 Bangladesh wickets between them. India’s pace bowling arsenal have yet another chance to impress, this time at a place where the hosts have made a habit of creating history.

Also read: SG’s chief ball inspector explains the difference ahead of day-night Eden Gardens Test.

In the lead up to the Test match in Kolkata, here is what various Indian players about the pink ball that will be used under the floodlights at Eden Gardens.

Virat Kohli

“I think it’s a new way to bring excitement to Test cricket. The pink ball I played yesterday (before the Indore Test), I felt it swings a lot more as compared to the red ball because there’s extra lacquer (quote of paint) on the ball which doesn’t go away too fast. And the seam holds upright quite a bit,” he said.

“If the pitch has extra help for the bowlers, then they will be in the game, especially fast bowlers throughout the course of the Test match. I don’t know how the old ball behaves because with the dew and the lacquer going off, it will be interesting to see how much the old ball does,” the skipper said.

However he made it clear that for a pink ball to be effective, it is important to have lively tracks.

“With the pink ball, having enough life in the pitch will be very important factor.”

Cheteshwar Pujara

“I don’t think there will be a major difference when you start playing with the pink ball. Since I haven’t played (against the SG pink ball) I am not sure, but my assumption is that even the SG pink ball will be very similar to the red ball. I feel in India the quality of SG balls have improved,” India’s Test No 3 said.

“Looking at the recent series we played against South Africa, the guys were happy with the way the ball maintained shape and even the quality of the ball. So we are expecting the same thing even with the pink ball. When it comes to pink ball, it will be little different from the red ball but I don’t see a massive difference.”

“During the day, there will be no visibility issues with the pink ball. In my experience, the twilight period and the period under lights are more difficult. Those sessions will be crucial,” he said.

“My experience as a batsman was a good one. Even as a team we did well. But some of the other players I had spoken to said that especially when facing a wristspinner, their wrong’uns were difficult to pick. When Kuldeep (Yadav) was bowling, it was difficult to pick his wrong’un.”

Ajinkya Rahane

“We had two good practice sessions, actually three or four but two in pink ball, one during the day and one under lights,” Rahane had said at a press conference in the lead up to the first Test in Indore. “It was actually exciting. It was the first time I played with pink ball, and definitely it’s a different ball game as compared to red ball.”

“What we found out after the practice session was that the [new] pink ball does a lot more than the red ball. You have to play slightly late and close to your body. We had a word with Rahul [Dravid] bhai as he was present.”

During the couple of Duleep Trophy seasons with the pink ball, there were complaints about spinners going out of equation.

“I think they played with the Kookaburra ball in Duleep trophy, that’s a different thing. With the SG ball, I am not so sure [of the spinners not having an impact]. We played against spinners in Bangalore and they were getting good revs on the ball. Yes, the shine is completely different to red ball but it’s very hard to compare with SG ball and the kookaburra ball,” the Test team vice-captain said.

Sachin Tendulkar

“As long as dew does not become a factor, it is a good move,” Tendulkar said. “But if dew is going to be a factor, then seamers as well as spinners are going to find it challenging because once the ball gets wet, neither seamers can do much nor the spinners. So, in that way, bowlers will be put under the test. But if there is no dew, then surely it is a good addition.”

“I think the dew factor will play a big role over here. We need to figure out how much dew is there. The dew will determine to what extent both teams are competing. The conditions shouldn’t hinder anything.”

Ashwin Ravichandran

“The pink ball Test match is a great welcoming sign. India as a Test playing country, it was necessary for us to play Day-Night Test. The office-going crowd which couldn’t catch Test cricket can now do so,” India’s lead off-spinner Ashwin said when asked about his opinion during the course of the Indore Test.

“Obviously, it’s a challenge to play with the pink ball. The ball has a lot more lacquer. Personally I think it’s the right direction we have taken, and hopefully, the Test match will be a historic moment and it will be the start of many more to come.”

Harbhajan Singh

“Wrist spinners will have one advantage if you see because it’s going to be very difficult to pick the seam (with black stitches) of pink ball,” star off-spinner Harbhajan Singh told PTI.

“And also between 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm, the time of sunset in Kolkata is where seamers are known to do maximum damage. But yes we need to figure out more about spinners if we want to play more day-night Tests in future.”

“If you remember Duleep Trophy, no one could effectively read Kuldeep from his wrists. Leg spinners got lot of wickets during that edition. When a finger spinner bowls, the ball is released with seam so that there is turn and bounce. When you are bowling the googly, the seam will be scrambled and very difficult to pick,” he added.

He also said the pink SG in general will be a challenge for the spinners with the extra lacquer that will be applied to keep its colour intact under lights.

“More lacquer means that you will not have a good grip on the ball, especially finger spinners. And the ball starts skidding from the hand.

“A lot of people think that the ball will be like a slippery soap bar as it happens with white ball in day-night games. It’s not the same. The white ball becomes slippery because the white lacquer goes off and the skin of the ball gets wet.

“With extra lacquer, pink ball’s skin wont get wet but the stitches will be very soggy. And therein lies problem with finger spinners,” he said.

Wriddhiman Saha

Wicketkeeper Saha reckons the players will need to be alert so as to sight the ball properly.

“Under lights the ball will move and all our fast bowlers clock 140kph or more. When I played the CAB Super League final, picking the pink ball under lights was a tad difficult after it got old,” he told the Indian Express.

With the first Test in Indore getting over in just three days, the Indian team conducted practice sessions under lights at the Holkar Stadium to get a feel of the pink ball. Saha, though, believes the players will need to adapt during the game itself.

“You can’t eliminate the problem in two days’ practice. You have to adapt during the game,” he said. “So far, the majority of the day-night Tests have been played with the Kookaburra ball. SG pink wilbe used for this game. So we will have an idea during our first training session; how are the bowlers feeling. The pitch, too, will play a part.”

“With the form they (Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav) are in, the pink ball is not a factor. Especially (Mohammed) Shami, he can be deadly on any wicket. He has pace and is able to extract reverse swing,” Saha said when asked whether colour of the ball will make more difference.

Saha said that they haven’t yet checked how much movement is on offer as far as pink ball is concerned.

“We are yet to see the movement of the pink ball. But the colour of the ball won’t matter with the current form of our pacers,” Saha added.

“The only change is the colour of the ball. It’s made differently. There’s also a change in the timing and picking the ball a bit difficult in twilight. It may help the pacers but will be challenging for the batsmen.”

“In white ball cricket, we have black background and the feel remains the same even after it gets old. But here we have to see the backdrop. If it’s not clear, it will be challenging for the wicketkeeper as well.”

“I stand near the slip fielders only. Our pacers at times deliver with a wobbly seam position. I will face the same challenge as them (slip fielders). But we have to accept the conditions offered to us. It’s the way forward.

Daljit Singh

“One of the main worries will be the dew. There is no doubt about that. They will have to understand that it will be a handicap which you can’t eliminate,” Daljit, who retired as BCCI chief curator last month after 22 years of service to Indian cricket

“The dew was an issue [when Duleep Trophy was played], the ball got really dirty. The match was played with 7mm grass on the pitch, normally the grass is 2.5 to 4 mm long. And taller grass means the ball will seam a lot,” Daljit had said.

Ravichandran Ashwin

“I just hope this marks the beginning of where we get huge crowds coming into the stadium and test cricket gets its credit and obviously with the change in timings people can afford to finish their work and come into the game, watch it and enjoy it,” Ashwin said on Star Sports.

“The middle session should be the main focus for batsman while using the pink ball unlike the morning session that is usually considered the most important in a test match as it will have more of a swing in Eden Gardens,” he said.

“The pink ball is only useful when there a hard and grassy wicket because the ball goes straight.

“Pink ball is a very different ball and doesn’t work like the white or red ball at all so there is a very low possibility that in the last session we get a swing or reverse so we will have to work very hard.”

(You can also watch the BCCI video where Indian players are talking about playing with pink ball for the first time)