Kohli takes the Shami challenge : The Tribune India

Join Whatsapp Channel

Kohli takes the Shami challenge

KOLKATA:For Bangladesh, facing Mohammed Shami with the pink ball in the Day/Night Test is being touted as their greatest challenge.

Kohli takes the Shami challenge

India captain Virat Kohli bats during a training session on Wednesday. PTI



Kolkata, November 20

For Bangladesh, facing Mohammed Shami with the pink ball in the Day/Night Test is being touted as their greatest challenge. India captain Virat Kohli took up this challenge, facing a lot of deliveries from Shami in the twilight period — when sunlight fades away and the floodlights take over —  during training today.

With the historic Day/Night Test match less than 48 hours away, Kohli practised batting today as dusk set, with the floodlights in full glow at Eden Gardens. The ace batsman faced Shami, who has been in red-hot form, at a stretch for a considerable amount of time and was seen talking to him at length.

Team India trained under lights for a couple of hours. Over the last few days, getting used to the twilight period has been the focus, and cricketers who have played with the pink ball have confirmed it’s a huge challenge. India stayed back in Indore to have full-fledged training under lights after the first Test, which India won inside three days.

Cheteshwar Pujara said sighting the pink ball at twilight is a challenge as the crimson hue of the sky makes the pink ball look more orange than pink. “Sometimes I don’t understand if its orange or pink, still coming to terms with that,” off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had said. 

Exciting time

Former New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori, now the Bangladesh spin bowling coach, stressed that the twilight period would be the most exciting part of the Test. “The challenge will be how much of the Test match is under lights. The sun sets quite early here,” he said. “That will be the time we will see the pink ball come into play. My experiences are only from watching on TV. So the twilight hours, dusk seems to do a little bit more. So I think that’s going to be the exciting period of the Test match. That will be the period where tactically teams might try out a few different things.” — TNS, agencies

Twilight zone

Cheteshwar Pujara said sighting the pink ball at twilight is a challenge as the crimson hue of the sky makes the pink ball look more orange than pink 

The challenge will be how much of the Test match is under lights. The sun sets quite early here. That will be the time we will see the pink ball come into play. My experiences are only from watching on TV. So the twilight hours, dusk seems to do a little bit more — Daniel Vettori, Bangladesh spin bowling coach 

Pink or Orange?

Sometimes I don’t understand if its orange or pink, still coming to terms with that — Ravichandran Ashwin, Indian off-spinner 

Background

In white-ball cricket, we have black background and the feel remains the same even after it (ball) gets old. But here we have to see the backdrop. If it’s not clear, it will be challenging for the wicketkeeper as well — Wriddhiman Saha, India wicketkeeper

Top News

Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in UP's Banda orders judicial inquiry into death of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari

UP court orders judicial probe into Mukhtar Ansari’s death

The CJM has sought the probe report within a month

‘Heart attack or poisoning’: The life and times of Mukhtar Ansari—crime and politics

‘Heart attack or poisoning’: The life and times of Mukhtar Ansari—crime and politics

People loyal to gangster-turned-politician vouched for his '...

Alka Rai, widow BJP MLA killed by Mukhtar Ansari, says 'justice has been served', visits Ram Mandir

Alka Rai, widow BJP MLA killed by Mukhtar Ansari, says 'justice has been served', visits Ram Mandir

Alka Rai is the wife of MLA Krishanand Rai, who was shot dea...

Cash-strapped Congress gets fresh IT notice of Rs 1,700 crore, say party insiders

Cash-strapped Congress gets fresh I-T notice of Rs 1,800 crore

Ajay Maken addresses a press conference

Special court convicts 7 people in BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case

Special court convicts 7 people in BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case

The proceedings against Atiq Ahmad, his brother and prime ac...


Cities

View All