New Delhi: The revamped Motera Stadium has already been talk of the town. It is one big spectacle to look at the world's largest stadium. A lot has been said about it. But the things have really spiced up as the next will be a pink-ball Test match. Pink-ball Test matches are really new thing to this world. The newest avatar of Test matches has so far drawn a lot of attention from the people across the world. For long, day-night setup was preferred for shorter versions of the games. After much debate, the day-night Test matches were brought into the fold. It is played with a pink ball. This new ball has also grabbed a lot of eyeballs.
So far, 15 day-night Tests have been played across the globe. And, the pink ball has created its own niche as it behaved differently than the traditional balls. Just like the behaviour of white ball was different to the red balls, pink balls also behaved in new manner. The pink ball is manufactured in a different way than the red balls. The traditional red balls used to go through a dyeing process whereas the pink ball is coated with multiple layers of pigment. To make the coatings last long, the pink balls are finished with an extra layer of lacquer.
With the extra layer of lacquer, the pink ball travels quicker in the air and through the surface, making it difficult to play for the batsmen. The shine also continues for long, which makes it conducive to swing. The pink ball does a lot and it makes the game competitive. The game at Motera would be the second pink-ball Test match played in India. The first pink-ball Test match was played at Eden Gardens in 2019. At that time, the curators had left a lot of grass on the pitch. As a result, the shine on the pink ball continued for a long time.
However, it is yet to be seen how the pink ball will behave when there are dry conditions and very little or no grass on the pitch. The think tank of India is expecting a turner at the Motera. In that case, the pink ball may lose its shine relatively early. It is something which needs to be seen. A pink-ball Test in the subcontinent is a relatively new phenomena. A lot is expected to unfold in the Motera Test.
Another aspect of pink ball in day-night Test has been its efficacy in the Twilight session. Players from across the world have conceded that playing under lights during the twilight hours has always been challenging. The visibility gets dropped and ball does an extra bit especially when the shine is intact and it is really tough for the batsmen to negotiate the challenges posed by the bowlers. That is how it has been in all the day-night Test matches so far. It is like a morning session of a normal Test matches. This is one time of play where an extra caution is needed by the batsmen. They need to dig in deep and apply to pass that passage of play.
The dimensions change completely when teams play day-night Test matches with a pink ball. It is a huge opportunity for the lovers of the game to watch the magnum opus of cricket at the revamped Motera stadium in Ahmedabad. The festival has already set it. Get ready, fasten your seat belts for a great ride waiting to unfold in a short while from now. Taking a pause from the mundane daily routines is highly recommended. The series also hangs in balance. All these factors make for a perfect recipe of entertainment. Brace it!
