Adapting to pink ball only challenge in Day/Night Test: Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara can't wait for India's first-ever Day/Night Test despite all talk of it being a challenge as he is confident that country's formidable batting line-up will have trouble adapting to pink ball.  prolific batsman topped run charts (453) with two daddy hundreds, including a 256 t out for India Blue in Duleep Trophy more than three years back when pink ball was experimented with for first time by Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI technical committee.w, after taking over as BCCI president, Ganguly has convinced Bangladesh Cricket Board and both countries will play ir maiden pink-ball Test at Eden Gardens from vember 22-26. Former players, including great Sachin Tendulkar, have spoken about multiple challenges like dew while playing in evening.

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Pujara on pink-ball Test

"It's going to be exciting...What we played was a first-class match, this is going to be a Test match. I'm sure all players are excited about it," Indian Test .3 told PTI in an exclusive interaction.
 

Pujara said pink ball could pose some problems during twilight period."In twilight period, I feel that maybe, sighting ball could be a little challenging. (But) more you play, you get used to it. It's always about experience and kwing how ball is behaving," he said. Pujara had complained about sighting ball under lights in 2016-17 season but he claims to be better prepared w." more we play, more we gain experience of how to tackle ball. Every ball has its challenges. I don't think it will require a huge change to shift from red ball to pink ball. reason is it's same format. We are still playing a five-day match," 31-year-old said. "Yes, under lights, it will be different. But it's about getting used to pink ball. That's what I feel. Rest, I don't think will be a major difference. Once we play some Test matches, we will be able to kw exact difference and can improvise."Apart from Pujara, Mayank Agarwal, Rishabh Pant, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, and Wriddhiman Saha, from current Indian Test squad, have experience of playing with a pink ball at domestic level. Summing up mood in camp, he said: "We won't' have any issue. Most of guys have played in Duleep Trophy and for ones who have t played, it would be a good learning curve for m." help for bowlers could come at different times, unlike traditional Tests. It could be under lights or without lights. Once we play, we will get to kw about all such things. We will have to adapt to it as quickly as possible." India are going to play ir first-ever Day/Night Test about four years after Australia and New Zealand played pink-ball Test at Adelaide Oval on vember 27, 2015. pink-ball invation has been seen as future of Test format which is battling to keep spectators' interested. India were reluctant to play Day/Night Tests and backed out against Australia in 2018-19 season.

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Pujara on future of D/N Tests

Pujara, however, is t sure wher invation in longer format is going to be future."It's too early to say. Once I've some experience I will be able to say," he said. Pujara seemed more concerned about winning match and series as 120 points would be up for grabs in two two-game series."Pink ball or t, format still remains same. We would want to win as many matches as possible because points are at stake. Wher it's red ball or pink ball, ultimately you have to play well and win game," he said. Pujara furr said India's new-found Test opener Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal have made middle-order's life easier.  Mumbaikar smashed a double hundred to go along with two centuries, while Agarwal also struck a double and a hundred in series against South Africa."It's a big bonus for us that Mayank and Rohit both are scoring runs. We want m to keep scoring runs. Our batting lineup also becomes strong. If openers are giving good starts, n .3, 4 and 5 have that luxury to bat accordingly," he said.  Indian run machine is due for a big kck having got out for 81 (Vizag) and 58 (Pune) in recently-concluded South Africa Test series and he hoped a big hundred would come soon."You don't have to put pressure on yourself and at same time you have to keep working on your game, keep getting better," he asserted.

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