Wriddhiman Saha raises concerns about the visibility of the pink ball under lights
Amidst various talking points related to India's inaugural day-night Test, one major point to ponder upon was the visibility of the pink ball. According to India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, the visibility of the pink ball is a concern. He said that the conditions were a bit hazy due to the current winter season in Kolkata.
“It was definitely challenging, especially under lights in the twilight period. The conditions were also hazy. The fielders at the boundary line were not able to sight the ball right away,” Saha said while speaking to Scroll. “I guess we would not have faced this problem if the match was held in summer and not during winter,” he added.
Saha was involved in four dismissals, including a stunning full-stretch dive to send back Mahmudullah. Virat Kohli's men rattled the Bangladesh unit by sealing a victory by an innings and 46 runs. It was a memorable outing for Saha on his home ground as he reached the landmark of 100 dismissals in whites.
However, the cricketer sustained an injury on a finger in his right hand. He underwent a successful surgery in Mumbai and is now planning to recover fully at home before proceeding with the rehab sessions at the National Cricket Academy. After being out in the cold with a shoulder injury, Saha made a comeback to the international circuit in the home series against South Africa.
He is confident of being a part of India's next assignment in the longest format- a two-Test series in New Zealand, beginning on February 21. The soft-spoken cricketer felt brighter sight-screen would help spot the pink ball better. Though he is in favour of India's latest experiment under floodlights, Saha believes the majority of the games will be played with the red-ball.
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"I think maximum matches would be in red ball only and this can be one-off in between. Whatever may be the colour of the ball or the conditions, we will always be prepared. It’s up to the BCCI to take the call,” he said.