Published 16:54 IST, November 22nd 2019
Once lacquer off, Ishant & co make big swinging Pink ball "unplayable"
When the ball beats a fully stretched and diving 'Superman' Wriddhiman Saha down the leg side starting well outside the off, then you know its swinging wild
When the ball beats a fully stretched and diving 'Superman' Wriddhiman Saha down the leg side starting well outside the off, then you know its swinging wild. Much was debated about how the Pink ball would behave, how much of swing or reverse it would carry and how much dew would affect it. The pink ball, which appeared to be bigger and heavier than the red, swung enormously and bounced sharply with helmet checks forcing Bangladeshi players to retire hurt. Add to their woes, was the players' technique or the lack of it.
Ishant Sharma breathed fire with the Pink ball and then extinguished the Bangladeshi batting line-up for a paltry 106 runs in 30.3 overs, picking up his tenth five-wicket haul (5 for 22 runs). The Indian pace battery ran havoc with Bangladesh batting order - tottering and collapsing like a house of cards as only three batsmen managed a score in double-digit.
The day began with a buzz but nothing really happened in the first four to five overs as far as swing was concerned. But after that once lacquer started coming off, it behaved frenetic, swinging away left and right, seemingly having plans of its own.
In a mid-session chat on the official broadcaster, the legendary Sachin Tendulkar said the movement off the pitch was very difficult to handle for Bangladeshi batsmen. The first few overs it did not swing, but once the lacquer or paint wore out, it started swinging a lot, he observed.
It seemed that Bangladeshi players were struggling to pick the Pink ball even before (in skipper Mominul Haque's words) "challenge to sight it under the twilight."
Updated 17:15 IST, November 22nd 2019