Pink ball is a fresh challenge for India and Bangladesh. The new ball is likely to swing more, there will be bounce and considering the dew factor at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, it will be challenging to stick to plans.
After finishing the first Test inside three days, both the teams decided to stay put in Indore to practise with pink ball under lights.
But India is not fully unprepared, courtesy the Duleep Trophy tournament in the 2016-17 domestic season. Representing India Blue and India Red, most of the players had passed with flying colours.
Ten players from the Test squad have bit the pink ball dust. Captain Virat Kohli and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane will make their debut, along with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and pacer Umesh Yadav.
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Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara are pink ball masters. The duo had steered India Blue to the title with a sublime batting performance. Ravindra Jadeja did his bit with the ball.
The in-form Agarwal has four fifties and a hundred, while the India No. 3 has a double century, 256 not out, and a century, 166. Rohit Sharma was part of the same side scoring 30 and 32 not out.
Jadeja was a fast learner claiming two five-fors in two innings (5/95 and 5/76) in the final apart from scoring 48 with the bat. He is the first Indian spinner to take a match-haul of 10 wickets with the pink ball.
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Though Kuldeep has been missing from the Test XI, he is the most experienced pink ball bowler. Part of India Red, he had finished with 17 wickets at an average of 27.88. To look at it practically, it will be easier for the wrist spinner to do the talking in Kolkata. Finger spinners will have a problem gripping the ball in dew.
The only two cricketers in the Indian side who have had a pink ball experience at Eden Gardens are Bengal boys Wriddhiman Saha and Mohammed Shami. They represented their club Mohun Bagan in the CAB Super League final three years ago.
Fast bowler Shami took a five-for in the first innings and ended with overall seven wickets in two innings. Stumper Saha took a catch, scored 33 and a duck.
Ishant Sharma played the 2017-18 season of Duleep Trophy in pink but he could not do much. He could pick up only one wicket in three matches.
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Reserves
Hanuma Vihari, who was benched for the first Test, has a pink ball hundred in the only Duleep Trophy match he played in 2017-18. Rishabh Pant swung his bat in the same season, scoring 11, 15 and a 23-ball 46.
Shubman Gill is yet to play a pink ball match.
On the other hand, the only pink ball match across the border — Bangladesh Cricket League final between Central Zone and North Zone — happened six years ago. And none of the players from the Test squad touring India were part of it.
All domestic pink ball matches in India have been played with the Kookaburra ball. Even in the 11 day-night international Tests, it was Dukes and Kookaburra. This time, SG will enter the park.
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