Pink-ball outings

While T-20s and ODIs make life hell for the bowlers, Test matches of late, especially the pinkball, D/N Test matches come like a whiff of fresh air for them. How many times have we seen bowlers toil on flat batting pitches and batsmen making merry on these surfaces, with no result after five days. Most batsmen’s techniques are found wanting on pink ball Test match surfaces, like a deer in the headlights. To prevail on this surface, batsmen must use techniques like taking off-stump guard, try to play off-breaks outside the line of off-stump in order to take LBW out of the equation against spinning balls and must use their feet to smother the spinning ball and also use their backfoot game, allowing a bit of extra time to adjust to the turn and bounce. Twilight is the crucial period for the batsmen in such matches.