The Pink Test: Kolkata gears up for tryst with history

KOLKATA: Priyank Panchal had "fun" facing the pink ball in Duleep Trophy matches and is looking forward to watching Team India tackle it when the country's first ever day-night Test is played at the Eden Gardens from November 22.
As Kolkata gears up for its tryst with history, Panchal, one of the most successful 'pink ball' batsmen in the country, told TOI that playing in this variation of cricket is a different ball game altogether."I won't compare the pink ball to either the red or the white," he said. "It's a different ball and has its own challenges. You need a little bit of time to get adjusted to it, but once that happens, it is actually fun."

He should know, having scored two centuries in a day-night Duleep Trophy match in 2017. However, the Gujarat batsman points out that the premier domestic tournament was played with the Kookaburra pink ball, while SG-manufactured ones will be used for the D/N Test. "We still don't know how they will behave. Kookaburra has two layers on the surface, but I am not sure about SG," he said.
Panchal cautions batsmen about a period of 15-20 minutes when the sun is setting. "The ball we played with had black seam, which was difficult to read, particularly when the wrist spinners were in action. It wasn't easy to understand the revolutions. It is during this period that the batsmen have to be careful," he said. "If you can negotiate this phase, the rest can be smooth."

There was swing initially, Panchal recalled. Towards the late stages, Panchal encountered some reverse swing too. But then the dew made it relatively comfortable for the batsmen. "The spinners in particular found the ball difficult to grip," he said. "It also became heavier and started coming straight."
There were mixed reactions to the use of pink ball in Duleep Trophy. It was done away with after three seasons, but Panchal won't mind if BCCI reintroduces it. "The atmosphere during these games were quite different from what we get in matches held in traditional timings. They did add to the excitement," he added.
India may be making a late foray into day-night Test cricket, but the experience gained during Duleep Trophy will help. Panchal's success in this format shows that it is not very difficult to adjust to the changing needs of time. It won't be a surprise if some Team India batsmen seek the Gujarat opener's advice on how the pitch and pink ball behave when the sun is orange, the ball pink and the seam dark enough to merge with the black sight screen.
'Pink goes pale as ball gets old'
From playing in every format to bowling with balls of different colour, Jaydev Unadkat has seen it all. Ask him about the pink ball, and he says, "The new pink ball swings more than the red one at least in the first hour," he told TOI, drawing from his experience of playing in D/N Duleep Trophy matches.
This, however, changes as the game progresses. "Once the pink ball gets old, it becomes difficult. There is not much reverse swing and the ball gets soft due to the thick pink lacquer coating on it," he said.