India's current Test squad and their experience of playing with pink ball
A total of eight players have played day-night matches with pink ball in first-class cricket.
India is set to feature in their first-ever day/night Test match Kolkata’s Eden Gardens during the upcoming series against Bangladesh. The pink ball has been trailed in India in day/night first-class matches during the Duleep Trophy played in 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons. The players complained regarding the quality of the pink ball in those tournaments. The ‘dew factor’ and experience of playing with the pink ball will be the challenges the home team have to deal with.
Out of the 15 players in the squad announced for the 2-match Test series against Bangladesh, only eight of them have featured in at least one first-class match played with the pink ball. Five players have never appeared in any game at first-class or club level. This list involves the Indian captain Virat Kohli and the vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane. The premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, pacer Umesh Yadav and latest sensation Shubman Gill are the other players who never experienced playing with the pink ball.
Here are the players from India’s current Test squad with the experience of playing Pink Ball cricket:
5. Wriddhiman Saha and Mohammed Shami
Wriddhiman Saha and Mohammed Shami will have the privilege of playing the first-ever day/night Test match in India at their home ground. The duo was also part of the first-ever pink ball match in India – The 2016 CAB Super League final between Mohun Bagan and Bhowanipore also hosted by the Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. Saha and Shami represented the Mohun Bagan team which won the title.
It was also the only time the duo featured in a pink ball game. Wriddhiman scored 33 on the first day and bagged a golden duck in the 2nd essay. However, the match-changing performance came from Shami who took a 5-wicket haul in the first innings. His opening spell saw the Bhowanipore team reduced to 45/7 and also took two wickets in the 2nd innings and won the player of the match award.
Both of them will be looking forward to making the most of their only experience of playing under the light in the longest format of the game.
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