Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

After early finish, India and Bangladesh train in Indore to be pink-ball ready

Written by 
Published in Cricket
Saturday, 16 November 2019 21:41

After a three-day finish to the first Test, India and Bangladesh have stayed back in Indore to train with the pink ball before they head to Kolkata for the second and final Test, also the maiden day-night Test for the two teams.

The Eden Gardens Test will start on November 22, which gives the players just under a week for full-fledged preparation. At the moment, only a handful of players from the two teams have trained with the pink ball, mostly in small pockets during their regular training sessions before the start of the series.

ALSO READ: 'The lateral movement is big' - Rahane's pink-ball experience

"I hadn't played with the pink ball before," Virat Kohli had said on Tuesday, before the first Test began. "I was given an opportunity to try and I wanted to, so that was my mindset behind playing with the pink ball. I think everyone else did it as well. You require extra concentration to pick the pink ball suddenly when you're playing with the red ball.

"It [the alternating] was to work on the reflexes a little bit as well. Because when you play with the red ball in the net and you arrive at the pink ball, it gets very difficult to pick it up, which can be the case in the game as well. It sort of gives you the match scenario and how it might be difficult to pick it early on. To get into that zone was the reason behind it."

"It's a new experience, and as we go on, we'll understand bowling with the pink ball" India bowling coach Bharat Arun

There are various other factors that the players will have to take a look at.

The few players in the Indian team who have played matches with pink balls have only played with the Kookaburra ball, whereas the Kolkata Test will be played with SG balls, the same brand as the ones used in regular Test and domestic cricket in the country.

Also in the discussions, no doubt, will be catching. India dropped at least five clear catching chances across two innings in the first Test, and Bangladesh dropped two. And while a lot of talk around the pink ball so far has focused on swing, the spinners in the two teams will also have to figure their way around long spells in the dew that is expected at the ground in the evenings.

ALSO READ: Sachin Tendulkar expects dew to affect pink-ball Test

"Actually, it is a new experience for us, the pink ball," bowling coach Bharat Arun said after India sealed the win on Saturday. "The spinners that we have are No. 1 and No. 2 in the world [among spinners, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, respectively]. They come with a lot of experience. My job is to give them the right feedback so that they can connect with what they know better and use that. It's a new experience, and as we go on, we'll understand bowling with the pink ball."

The players will also welcome the extra time to train in the relative calm of Indore as Kolkata prepares for what looks like it will be a grand affair under the direct guardianship of new BCCI president Sourav Ganguly at his home ground. Tickets for the first three days have been sold out and the Test could have a dramatic start, with the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) reportedly looking to enlist paratroopers to deliver pink balls to the two captains at the start.

"The paratroopers will fly into the wicket with two pink balls. We have discussed the plans with the army (Eastern Command)," CAB secretary Abhishek Dalmiya was quoted as saying by PTI on Friday. The army, it is believed, will also play both teams' national anthems before the start of the game.

The paratrooper delivery is only one element of a lavish plan, which includes the ceremonial ringing of the Eden Gardens bell by Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina, laps along the boundary by sporting greats of the two nations, and a feature programme with five players who were part of India's famous 2001 come-from-behind win against Australia in Kolkata.

Read 272 times

Soccer

Ancelotti: Madrid slowly getting 'back to our best'

Ancelotti: Madrid slowly getting 'back to our best'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsReal Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team are improving "litt...

Mbappé, Vini score as Madrid win with late flurry

Mbappé, Vini score as Madrid win with late flurry

Vinícius Júnior came off the bench to score once and set up another goal to steer champions Real Mad...

Martino blames ref as Miami suffers Shield setback

Martino blames ref as Miami suffers Shield setback

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsInter Miami head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino claimed the match aga...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

McCoy, longtime radio voice of Suns, dies at 91

McCoy, longtime radio voice of Suns, dies at 91

EmailPrintPHOENIX -- Al McCoy, who was the radio voice of the Phoenix Suns for more than a half-cent...

Sources: Griffin, 21, mulls NBA future after buyout

Sources: Griffin, 21, mulls NBA future after buyout

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Houston Rockets reached terms on a buyout with forward AJ Griff...

Baseball

Lindor to miss rest of series; earliest return Tues.

Lindor to miss rest of series; earliest return Tues.

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Francisco Lindor wasn't in the New York Mets' lineup fo...

Rangers scratch Scherzer, give Dunning the start

Rangers scratch Scherzer, give Dunning the start

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsARLINGTON, Texas -- Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer h...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated