Day-night Test: BCCI orders 72 pink balls from SG

NEW DELHI: The BCCI has asked manufacturer SG to deliver 72 pink balls by next week for India’s first-ever day night Test, to be held at Eden Gardens from November 22.

The BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has already confirmed that SG pink balls will be used for the landmark game, leaving the manufacturer with very little room for error.

Producing a ball fit for a Test match under lights is a big challenge for SG as its pink ball is yet to be tested in a competitive game.

The Duleep Trophy was played with Kookaburra pink balls for three seasons and not SG before the BCCI switched back to red ball this year.

“The BCCI has ordered six dozen pink balls and we will deliver them by middle of next week. As you have seen in the South Africa series, we made significant improvements with our red ‘SG Test’ and we have the same level of research and development for pink ball,” company’s sales and marketing director, Paras Anand, said on Wednesday.

SG had faced strong criticism from some Indian players in the previous home season with India skipper Virat Kohli saying that the red ball got scuffed up way too early in comparison to the Dukes used in England and Kookaburra in Australia.

Kohli acknowledged the improvements made on the ball this season but wants it last to at least 60 overs.

Considering the bowlers have faced issues with the red ‘SG Test’, it remains to be seen how the company steps up to the pink ball challenge.