Legendary Indian cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar told the Indian skipper, Virat Kohli to treat the much-talked-about twilight period during India’s maiden pink-ball Test as the challenging morning session of a traditional red ball five-day match, the India skipper said after they beat Bangladesh inside three days and swept the series 2-0.
Describing the same during the post-match press conference, Kohli said, “The afternoon session was relatively easier. Actually, I spoke to Sachin paaji on the evening of the first day and he made a very interesting point as well. Probably with the pink ball, you have to treat the second session like the morning session when it’s getting darker and the ball starts to swing and seam.”
He further added, “So first session you invariably play as you play from lunch to tea in a normal timing test match, then the second session would be like a morning session and the last session is like that evening session.”
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Bangladesh was bundled out for 106 in the first innings and India declared on 347/9 in reply to take a 241-run lead. In their second essay, the hapless tourists were reduced to 13/4 on Day 2, losing all wickets in the “twilight zone” and eventually lost by an innings and 46 runs in the first session of the third day.
India declared during the second session on Saturday to make full use of twilight where visibility is a problem, and reaped rewards. Kohli said in pink-ball Tests, the planning changes as skipper and as a batsman, the strategy is also tweaked.
Virat elaborated, “Your planning changes, declaration timing, and everything changes. As a batsman, your strategy changes. Even if you are set and batting well, as soon as it gets dark and lights are on, you can be in trouble very quickly. Luckily I went in when the lights were on, so I didn’t have to go through that transition. When I walked out, it felt like a game atmosphere. You feel like smashing the first ball but you have to remind yourself that you have to play compact.”
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This was India’s 12th consecutive home series victory as they also became the first team ever to complete four successive innings victories in the five-day format. India had won the first match by an innings and 130 runs.
