Former India batter and ex-selector Jatin Paranjpe has questioned the decision to play a pink-ball Test in Adelaide during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. According to Paranjpe, players also need practice before playing a day-night Test, and further added that he wasn’t surprised by India’s struggles. However, Australia thumped India by 10 wickets in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide to square the five-match series 1-1 as well. Batting first, India were bowled out for 180 as Mitchell Starc picked up 6-48. In the second innings, they bundled out to 175 as Australia skipper Pat Cummins starred with 5-57 as well.
Speaking to Rediff.com, Paranjpe said, “I am not a big fan of pink ball cricket and fail to understand its existence. So I am not in favor of India hosting day-night Tests. Now with the World Test Championship, every match becomes crucial because you want to score points off every match. So we need to take a strategic call whether do it or not.”
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“I think the pink ball played a role, we don’t play a lot with the pink ball. As a batter I can tell you that it’s very tough to watch it out of the bowler’s hands. You need a lot of practice and you need more than just one week’s practice. You need to have played 5-6 matches before you play a pink ball Test match. I knew it would be tough for India in Adelaide,” he again added.
While India failed to post a 200-plus score in either innings of the Adelaide Test, Australia managed to score 337 in their first innings as Travis Head smashed 140 off 141 balls.
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“I feel extremely confident that Akash Deep will play in both the Gabba Test and in the Melbourne Test and he will bowl exceedingly well. He bowls lengths similar to Mohammed Shami’s and those lengths are the best lengths to bowl at. Bumrah will find an even more helpful foil in Akash Deep than he is finding in Mohammad Siraj right now. They need to get Akash Deep in and maybe Ravindra Jadeja in for Ravichandran Ashwin.”
