Day-night Test evokes mixed reactions from former players

The inaugural day-night Test at the pristine Adelaide Oval is expected to be a game-changer.

“It will hurt cricket,” fumed off-spinning great Erapalli Prasanna. He was talking about the first day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand to be held at Adelaide from November 27.

The idea behind staging this controversial and experimental Test is to attract more spectators to the ground and rake in more money.

The question is — does the job of the administrators pertain to just making the game richer or does it have a bigger responsibility of protecting the sanctity and the very fabric of the game?

“Do not tamper with Test cricket, which is played in magnificent whites. It will have its consequences,” Prasanna said to

The Hindu on Tuesday. He cannot come to grips with the fact that Test cricket will be played with a pink ball instead of the ‘red cherry’.

Already, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has revealed that he found it difficult to “sight the pink ball”. The left-armer has also said the pink ball “went soft quickly and did not swing as much as the red ball”.

Then, there are the conditions. Prasanna said, “The dew in the evening and night will be a big factor. Bowlers will find it difficult to grip the ball. The spinners, in particular, will be impacted adversely.”

Change in dynamics

It is obvious that the dynamics of a Test will change. Test matches largely revolve on sunlight and the effect it has on the pitch.

When the sun beats down hard on the surface, cracks tend to develop on the track, assisting the bowlers as the match goes into the fourth and fifth days.

This will not happen in day-night Tests, with sunshine completely absent in the second half of the day. The natural progression of a Test — sunshine plays a significant part here — will be hurt. One side might receive an unfair advantage.

Something new

Former India opener Anshuman Gaekwad said, “It is something new. We have to see how it works out. The dew will, of course, be a major factor. We do not know how the pink ball will impact the bowlers.

“If there is some moisture on the pitch because of the dew, the ball could zip around for the pacemen. The spinners might find it hard to grip the ball.”

Venkatesh Prasad, former India seamer and a respected coach now, said, “I don’t like the idea. Test cricket is all about tradition; we should not move away from that. I am very conservative as far as Tests are concerned.

“On the same day, a batting or bowling side will have to grapple with two sets of conditions, one during the day and another at night. It affects the natural flow of a Test. Then, there is the pink ball. It could seam, swing, do little or be difficult to grip if there is dew.”

Former India left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju felt there would be too many variables in day-night Tests. “The pink ball might go soft early, and not last 80 overs. So, reverse swing will be hit.

“The spinners will have to cope with the dew factor. It is one thing to bowl 10 overs trying to restrict batsmen in ODIs, but something else to send down a lot of overs and dismiss them in Tests. I do not see the ball gripping the pitch for spinners in such conditions.”

Optimistic view

The romance of a hard-fought draw under fading light will go right out of the window. However, former India batsman Chandu Borde was surprisingly optimistic about day-night Tests. “I am not shocked. You have to get more people to watch the Test, both at the ground and on television. These days, we are finding it difficult to get crowds to watch Tests. Day-night Tests could bring spectators back,” he said.