Visibility of the heavily-lacquered pink ball especially during the twilight period has been a talking point ahead of the country’s first Day-Night Test.
Mamata Banerjee and Sheikh Hasina rang the Eden bell on Day 1 of the India vs Bangladesh pink-ball Test. (Photo: Twitter/@CABCricket)
Former India captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly feels sighting the pink ball is easier than its traditional red avatar.
Visibility of the heavily-lacquered ball especially during the twilight period has been a talking point ahead of the country’s first Day-Night Test.
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Kohli, who slammed his 27th Test ton on Day 2 and was dismissed for 136, batted throughout the “twilight zone” on the first day without facing any difficulty although against a weak Bangladesh bowling attack.
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Asked how the Indian captain aced the pink ball challenge, Ganguly said: “He is a run machine.”
On the visibility, he said: “It’s actually easier than the red ball.”
Ganguly thanked Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her presence on Friday, and promised to be present at the two T20Is between Asian all-star XI and World XI next year to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“I will go. I know you have gala plans for the event,” he said.
Ganguly, who was the man behind India agreeing to play a pink ball test after initial resistance, said the success of the first day lay in the fact that 60,000 spectators watched the action.
“So many watched the match that is most important. I was not under any tension but I was busy.”
Bangladesh were shot out for 106 in their first innings in a sorry display of batting. Ganguly said they don’t have key players. Bangladesh are without regular captain Shakib Al Hasan and experienced opener Tamim Iqbal.
“They don’t have 4-5 main players,” he said.
Ganguly remained non-committal on whether India will play a pink ball Test in Australia next year.
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