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New Delhi - India's Duleep Trophy has been using the pink
ball under lights in recent matches, and players like Yuvraj Singh and
Chetweshwar Pujara say getting used to the ball is proving tougher than
expected.
Yuvraj feels batting against spinners under lights is
tougher than usual, and that the ball does not swing nearly as much as the red
ball when it's new. Pujara, meanwhile, says visibility under lights is not
ideal.
These sentiments echo those from Australia's Sheffield
Shield players, who have been playing with a pink ball for a few seasons now,
as well as New Zealand's players after the first Day-Night Test last year.
Pujara told local media that players would get used to it
eventually: "It's challenging to pick the ball under lights but it’s not
that you can't.
"Ultimately you have to watch the ball and play. At
times, you have to accept the fact that some things might be challenging
because when you are batting at 2pm, you are able to sight the ball really
well.
"So even in Test cricket if you are batting in the
first session and if the wicket is green you have to see through the new ball
and if its turning track the ball will spin so you have to adjust to whatever
is in front of you."
Yuvraj added: "I felt that picking a wrist spinner is a
bit difficult. I realised when I was standing in the slips that batsmen were
actually struggling to pick the wrist spinner.
"I felt that pink ball didn't swing as much as the red
ball does when it has shine. I honestly felt that the pink ball didn't swing
much and didn't get old.
"It was coming on to the bat very nicely. I don't know how it is going to play on a turning track."
