India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane has said that batting in the first day-night Test match against Australia at the Adelaide Oval beginning Thursday will require focus and communication between the two batsmen at the ground as the pink ball behaves differently in different parts of the day.
“Definitely it is a challenge. The ball behaves differently during the day and behaves differently once the lights are on. So as a batsman I think focus will be the key. As long as you can focus as a batsman…communication will be the key among the two batters. Batting in twilight period, those 40-50 minutes will be the key. If you bat well in that situation it will be good. Overall it was a good outing in the day-night warm-up (at the Sydney Cricket Ground). Start will be the key in the Test,” said Rahane while speaking to the media in a virtual conference on Tuesday.
Rahane also said that pink ball behaves differently in different phases, moving at first and then becoming easy and then seeing an increase in pace. “I think the pink ball is tough to bat initially but then it becomes easy. It moves in the twilight period that comes for 40-50 minutes in the middle. So it is challenging (then) to focus on the game, when the lights are on in twilight period as the pace increases. So if you adjust a bit…the coming time is easy.