The BCCI president Sourav Ganguly reckons sighting the pink ball is easier than its traditional red cherry. Visibility of the heavily-lacquered ball especially during the twilight period created a lot of buzzes ahead of the country’s first Day-Night Test. However, the Indian skipper, Virat Kohli, who slammed his 27th Test centuries on Day 2 and was dismissed for 136, batted throughout the “twilight zone” on the first day without facing any difficulty although against a weak Bangladesh bowling attack.
Asked how the Indian captain aced the pink ball challenge, Ganguly said: “He is a run machine.” On the visibility, Dada said: “It’s actually easier than the red ball.”
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Cricket expert and commentator Harsha Bhogle also showered praises for the Indian skipper. He wrote, “Another classy century. 27. In the same number of innings, it took Tendulkar. Kohli idolizes Tendulkar, he is, literally, following in his footsteps.”
Another classy century. 27. In the same number of innings it took Tendulkar. Kohli idolises Tendulkar, he is, literally, following in his footsteps
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 23, 2019
A fan gushed, “Colour of ball change with match, But the class of Champ never change.” Another one wrote: “This Man is Unstoppable @imVkohli, With Another 100* #Runmachine”. One more fan tweeted: “What a century!!! As a captain he scored 20 century pass pointing n behind G.Smith.. wht a conversion rate he is having 55%…when kholi play nobody look like him.. his shots wonderful.. number 70…”
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Ganguly thanked Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her presence on Friday and promised to be present at the two T20Is between Asian all-star XI and World XI next year to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He also said the success of the first day lay in the fact that 60,000 spectators watched the action.
Dad elaborated, “So many watched the match that is most important. I was not under any tension but I was busy.”
Bangladesh was bundled out for 106 in their first innings in a sorry display of batting. Ganguly said they don’t have key players. Bangladesh is without regular captain Shakib Al Hasan and experienced opener Tamim Iqbal. He said, “They don’t have 4-5 main players.” Ganguly remained non-committal on whether India will play a pink-ball Test in Australia in 2020.
