Pink-ball Test needs ironing out: Quinton
MUMBAI : South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock believes Day/Night Test is not a finished product as the pink ball does too much late in the evening. The issue is fresh in India after BCCI said no to the Australian board’s plan for staging the first Test in Adelaide at the yearend as a Day/ Night game.
Nine pink-ball Tests have been played since being introduced in Australia in late 2015. Australia have hosted four, and won all. India have not played any while South Africa have featured in two, losing in Adelaide but beating Zimbabwe at home.
Former India skipper, Sourav Ganguly said in Kolkata that it was time India played pink-ball Test. “Day/Night Test is the way forward. Every country has to play Day-Night Test. India has reservations but that’s a long term future for Test cricket,” he said. He felt India won’t find it tough to win Day-Night games.
De Kock, who played against Zimbabwe last year, said at a promotional event in Mumbai that there were issues playing under lights. “There are still some rough edges in the format that need to be rubbed out and made into a new format. I think it’s a good concept, but there are a couple of things that can make it a lot better. At certain times, during the twilight period of play… it’s not the same as a red ball,” he said at a promotional event.
De Kock, who is playing under Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore, said contrary to the impression, the India skipper does not go overboard on the field. “Virat is very competitive by nature. He just wants to be the best. That sort of attitude is something that can only bring out the best in him. He’s not quite (emotional) actually. When you play against him, he seems very emotional. But now when you play with him, it’s just Virat being Virat. He’s very passionate. Even when he plays soccer, if he doesn’t win, doesn’t do well, that’s just him being him.”
De Kock said South Africa were caught out by Chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav. “When they came to South Africa, they were unknown, and I think that’s what we really struggled at. We were struggling to pick Kuldeep. He was bowling so slowly, we didn’t know what to do.”