“Ball’s halo effect could make it difficult to pick under lights”

KOLKATA: Daniel Vettori’s comment was based on anecdotal evidence, Wriddhiman Saha recalled his experience from 2016 but with caveats they said—two days before India’s first Test under lights—sighting the pink ball square of the wicket and behind it could be challenging.

Based on what players told him after training in Indore, Vettori said: “It has been a little bit hard to pick (sight the ball) at square-leg and those areas. It will be interesting to find out if the slips are picking it, gully, the umpires. They say the ball has a small halo effect .”

Speaking before India trained at Eden as afternoon bled into evening, wicket-keeper Saha said: “If it is challenging for slips, it is for me as well. Unlike in T20 or one-dayers, players will leave deliveries more. And the ball wobbles when our pacers bowl. It could also be slightly difficult to pick the ball during twilight. And because this ball has been manufactured to last longer, it could be challenging for batsmen.”

The pink ball has an extra coat of paint. Asked if that could be a deterrent for reverse swing, which needs one side to shine more than the other, Saha said: “Our bowlers have such ability that, who knows, they might be able to do that as well.”

“If around twilight, the ball is old and the background is not clear, it could make sighting it difficult especially if someone close to you is moving. We will also have to see how much dew comes into play. In international cricket, you need to adjust to the conditions. Whatever adjustments we need will have to be done on the ground; how much the ball is swinging, whether it is wet or not,” said Saha.

India’s greater experience with pink balls—made by the Australian company Kookaburra—put them at an advantage, said Saha who didn’t train with the pink ball after the first Test in Indore because he had to come home. India played the Duleep Trophy with Kookaburra pink balls and Saha and Mohammed Shami were part of a local league game organised by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) in 2016. On Shami, who took seven wickets in the fourday CAB Super League final between Mohun Bagan and Bhawanipore in 2016, Saha said: “The kind of form he is in, the colour of the ball does not matter.”

“Look, I think we are all excited to play this and see how it plays out rather than worry about those little things that could go wrong,” said Vettori.

BANGLA PLAYER HIT Bangladesh batsman Nayeem Hassan, 18, was hit on the head by a net bowler. He was taken to a hospital but returned to the hotel later in the day.