Shami, Wriddhiman to get first hand experience in India’s first ‘Pink ball’ game

Mohammad Shami and Wriddhiman Saha are among India players, who will get a first-hand experience of Day/Night cricket with pink ball when local giants Mohun Bagan and Bhowanipore Club meet in a Cricket Association of Bengal’s Super League final, starting on Saturday.

A brainchild of former India captain Sourav Ganguly, the four-day final will be a historic affair as it will provide a glimpse of what can be expected of a pink kookaburra under lights in sub-continental conditions.

If the experiment is successful, Ganguly’s association will stand a good chance of holding first ever Pink Ball Test in India that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to hold.

The spotlight will be on India pace spearhead and Mohun Bagan’s Shami, who will be the first in the team to have a ‘feel’ of the pink Kookaburra ahead of the proposed first day/night Test against New Zealand in October. Not to forget Wriddhiman, who will face the challenge of keeping wickets as well as batting against pink kookaburra under possibly under floodlights.

Before the Duleep Trophy is played under lights, the top Indian players will certainly refer to the feedback from two of their teammates, who can provide them with information. One interesting fact is that Wriddhiman is no stranger to pink kookaburra balls as he had the experience of playing in an Emerging Series in Australia seven years back.

Wriddhiman had kept against pink balls, green balls during that A series in Australia back in 2009-10. Cricket Australia used those balls during the List A matches on experimental basis. Shami for one, is excited about the new challenge and is keen to adapt quickly.

“The only change is the colour (of the ball). Obviously, it will be a new challenge but as the experts are saying it’s the future and we have to adapt quickly,” Shami said.