India vs Bangladesh 2019: 3 important things to keep in mind ahead of the pink ball Test  

Four years after Australia and New Zealand played the first pink-ball test at Adelaide, India will finally play one on Friday. The mecca of Indian cricket, Eden Gardens will host this historic encounter. With a lot of debate around the longer format and the lack of crowds, Day/Night Test cricket is a significant step to attract people back into the stadiums. Administrators hope that the timings will allow people to come into the grounds after college and work.

The superpower of world cricket finally gracing cricket's new innovation is a major boost. Quite simply the world's attention will be in Kolkata as Virat Kohli's side take on Bangladesh in the second Test of the series. In the heat of the inaugural World Test Championship, this is a landmark moment for the game.

Day/Night Test cricket is a lot more than just the match being played at a different time. The color of the ball changes and even the conditions are not the same. The game's administrators are closely looking at the game to create the perfect environment to play the longer format under the lights. With the star-studded Indian team playing it for the first time, there is bound to be key interest. It will be fair to say that the events of the next five days will have a huge bearing on the future of the sport.

While it being a historic occasion guarantees a packed stadium, it will only be fair to judge the attendance in later matches. However, there is a lot to look forward to and here are some important factors to keep an eye on.

Also see - India West Indies schedule

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#3 How the players adapt

Virat Kohli is set to play with the pink ball for the first time.

Not only is this India's first Day/Night Test match but also the first time Bangladesh is playing one. As a result, this match will be the first taste of Test cricket under the lights for each of the 22 players in action. Apart from Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, Mohammed Shami, and Kuldeep Yadav, none of the other players have even played a first-class game with the pink ball.

Hence, how the players adapt is something that will have a lot of focus. It is a well-documented fact that the pink ball swings more than the red ball and there is more purchase for bowlers once the sun begins to set. Therefore, it will be interesting to see whether the batsman is up for the challenge and can adapt to the tougher conditions.

This does not mean things will be easy for bowlers. Pacers will have to find the right seam position and figure the correct line and length. So far, it is proven that wrist spinners perform better with the pink-ball as shown by Kuldeep Yadav's impressive performance in the Duleep Trohpy a few years back. Finger spinners like Ashwin and Jadeja will face a challenging task trying to perform to their capabilities. Ultimately, its quite literally a different ball game and each player will face a test of quality and character on this historic occasion.

#2 The dew factor

How will dew impact the match in Kolkata?

While playing cricket under lights is a fascinating sight, it comes with its challenge. As limited-overs cricket over the years has shown dew can become a major issue. In the sub-continent, it is a common practice to see damp outfields under the night skies. This can have a determinantal impact on the quality of the play as bowlers struggle with a damp ball. Gripping the ball becomes a tough task especially for spinners and essentially neutralises their impact and makes batting easy as the ball comes relatively easier to the bat.

As dew is not as big a problem in 'SENA' countries, how Day/Night Test cricket is effected by it largely remains suspense and will be something that will be under the scanner in Eden Gardens. It will be interesting to see how the pink ball behaves after the dew sets in and how it affects all three departments of the game.

Ultimately, the greatest thing about Test cricket is how it presents an equal test for both batsmen and bowlers. Maintaining that balance is crucial and dew is something that is far from ideal for that to happen. The stakeholders of the game will need to keep a close eye on how things shape along those lines.

#1 The pink ball

The pink ball is going to be the center of attention.

Day/Night Test cricket has been an idea in the pipelines for many years but its implication wasn't that easy due to various factors. The biggest challenge was the colour of the ball as the traditional red used for the longers formats is not visible under the lights. Similarly, the white jerseys rule out the white ball used in limited-overs. After years of testing various colours, pink was found to be the solution.

However, it is not perfect and still a work in progress as constant improvements are still being made constantly made. At the moment, every pink-ball test is an examination and certainly will be the center of attention for everyone. Everything from its behavior and how it reacts to the pitch, whether it is durable enough to last 80 overs, and its visibility especially during the twilight period and under the lights are key elements that need to be looked at.

Another interesting factor is the fact that this will be the first time that pink balls made by SG will be used for matches. The BCCI had previously taken Kookaburra's for the Duleep Trophy matches under lights and the Indan ball manufacturers will have their first test with the pink cherry on Friday.

Over the years, red SG balls have come under criticism for wearing off too early. Captain Virat Kohli was vocal about his concerns last years and that makes its pink ball debut even more interesting. Can the Indian manufacturer's product be good enough for the occasion is a question or do BCCI need to change course is a question that the entire cricket community will be looking for answers over the next five days.