Day-Night Tests only suitable in some weather conditions: Dinesh Karthik

The pink ball game did make the headlines two years back in the cricketing world. It was Australia taking on New Zealand and the game at the Adelaide Oval and was won by the Australians. Quite a few day-night Test matches have been played since and it has become a part of Test cricket pretty fast. To get the players used to it, the pink ball has also been used in quite a few first-class tournaments as well.

India is one of the few countries which is yet to play a day-night Test. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) introduced the pink ball cricket in the domestic circuit with the Duleep Trophy last season. The ongoing Duleep Trophy 2017-18 is also played under lights.

However, concerns have been raised against the pink ball by the international cricketers playing in the tournament. There were some young players commenting on it as well. India Red skipper Dinesh Karthik was the man who had his opinion on the same. The opinions were not necessarily in the favour of the format and were mostly against it.

Kookaburra balls won’t work in India

Karthik was unhappy with the day-night Test format. He said that the due in this part of the world plays a huge part and the black seam on the pink ball doesn’t help the cause either. Spinners have a huge role in the subcontinent and the Kookaburra balls don’t turn because of the black seam.

“I find a decent crowd coming to watch cricket, especially the night cricket. It is okay if that is the concept of the game, but I believe dew factor, as well as the difference between the SG and Kookaburra balls, are difficult for the players to handle,” DK said.

He scored a hundred while batting in the first innings where 17-year-old Prithvi Shaw also scored his maiden DT century, becoming the youngest player to score a hundred in the final of the tournament.

“Sometimes it suits the bowlers and sometimes not. The Kookaburra pink ball helps pace bowlers to swing a bit in the initial overs, but bowling a reverse swing with this is very difficult. For pink ball, you need to have good season as black seam onto it doesn’t allow the spinners to turn the ball much,” the centurion added.

He also said that India is hugely dependent on spin bowling and Kookaburra balls restrict the very strength. “SG ball is what helps our bowlers and Kookaburra is great for fast bowlers. He also added that his ball is favorable in only some weather conditions,” DK mentioned.

“In India, cricket mostly depends on spin bowling and having many wickets like our spinners get with the SG ball is very difficult. This ball can only be suitable in a favorable weather,” he concluded.