India Green coach WV Raman doubts the durability of the pink ball in Indian conditions
Former India batsman and the present coach of India Green WV Raman said that the players should practice more with the pink ball so to test the ability players as they enter a relatively less-trodden territory. India Green is set to take on India Red in the opening match of the Duleep Trophy in Greater Noida and will feature a pink ball.
As quoted by ESPNCricinfo, the coach of India Green also raised the issues of visibility of the pink ball but was certain that would not be a problem for the players, "One thing is the visibility of the ball is going to be good. So I don't think that is going to be a problem.”
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He further added, "But, in the match, there is a possibility that the breeze can be on and off which means the ball sometimes can swing, sometimes not swing. Even while fielding the ball might swirl a bit [for] the tall catches, sometimes it may not swirl. You never know."
The pink ball is still a matter of curiosity for both the players and the fans. The BCCI is aiming to start a day-night Test with a pink ball during a long home season which could be fast-tracked with the successful trial of the ball in the tournament. Raman also added that the pink Kookaburra ball which would be used in the tournament has not been tested in Indian conditions, so its durability in the country grounds is still in question.
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The coach said, "The one big challenge is to see how long the ball lasts in our conditions.” He added, "We have not seen a lot of wear and tear if there is a whole lot of dew and moisture in a day-night four or five-day game. That means the wear and tear that you expect on the last and penultimate days of a five-day game may not be there. “
Harbhajan Singh also shared his opinion on the Kookaburra ball, “It is going to be a nightmare for the spinners. The seam is not that great on the Kookaburra ball, and only people who have played with it for a long period of time will be able to adjust.”