KOLKATA: Twilight, grass, dew, pink... all talk about the day-night Test has these words. They form an unusual combination as far as the lexicon of cricket goes and that is what will keep the teams guessing until the pink ball lands on a green pitch at Eden Gardens.
Among the handful who can say a few words about pink-ball cricket with some sort of authenticity is Wriddhiman Saha. The wicketkeeper and Mohammed Shami were part of a day-night local tournament final at Eden in 2016. So Saha can guess how it’s going to be once the Test match starts, although he doesn’t know what impact dew might have.
“Don’t remember if there was heavy dew in that game. But chances of that are less since it was played in a different time of the year (June),” said Saha, who was facing the media at his home ground on Wednesday. For the record, dew is expected in Kolkata this time of the year. “The other difference from that game will be the crowd and that’s something we will enjoy.”
On a serious note, Saha foresees a few challenges for batsmen and fielders alike. “A slightly discoloured pink ball against a white sightscreen in the twilight period might be difficult to pick. But that’s what international cricket is about. One has to be ready for different situations and adapt accordingly. Adapting to the changes will be the key in this kind of a Test.”
Saha thinks it’s not just the batsmen who will have to adapt. “Wicketkeepers and slip fielders can also face the same problem. After the pink ball leaves the hand of the bowler, they might lose sight of it for a fraction of a second. So those fielding behind the wicket may be in for a new experience. But then again, we have to accept these things and be ready to play in any condition given to us. That is the challenge of playing international cricket.”
The player who was adjudged Man of the Match in the last Test India played at this venue (against New Zealand in 2016), thinks batsmen will have to contend with one more problem. “We know there will be grass on the pitch and with that extra coat of paint, the pink ball will swing and also deviate off the surface. Bowlers will have an advantage, even though there may be no reverse swing because the pink ball hardly loses shine,” he said.
Other than a couple of practice strips prepared for spinners, the entire Eden Gardens wore a green look on Wednesday. The centre was only a shade less than the rest of the turf. The practice strips kept for pacers sported a similar colour and that’s where most of the Indian players batted during nets. It’s very evident what they were preparing for — fast bowlers letting it go and expecting the greenery to do the rest.