Negotiating pink ball during twilight most challenging in day-night Test: Bangla coach Domingo

Batting during twilight and spotting a not-so pronounced seam of pink ball when wrist spinners put in the revolutions are some of the technical concerns for Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo ahead of his team's first-ever day-night Test against India at the Eden Gardens from November 22.

Domingo was the South Africa coach when they played Australia in a Day-Night Test in 2016 and is aware of some practical difficulties that his current team might face.

"It's a difficult ball to see when you are batting particularly in the phase between sunset and dark (twilight). Guys struggle against wrist spinners because it is difficult to see the seam as it is not pronounced like red ball with white seam (stiches)," Domingo said when asked about the challenges.

 

Cheteshwar Pujara too said pink ball could pose some problems during the twilight period.

"In the twilight period, I feel that maybe, sighting the ball could be a little challenging. (But) the more you play, you get used to it. It's always about experience and knowing how the ball is behaving," India's ever-dependable No 3 told PTI in an interview earlier in the day.

Another issued with the pink ball is that it gets scuffed up easily, said Domingo.

"The ball used to flake a lot easier. It gets softer and breaks up a little more. It does shape and swing for 10-12 overs and then it starts to lose that," Domingo said.

The Bangladesh coach is concerned that his team didn't even get to play a practice game with the pink ball.

"There is a concern with three days between two Test matches here. We have just got two practice days. So there's not a lot of time to prepare with it. I suppose it's the same for India. But it is a challenge that we are facing."

A practice match would have been ideal preparation, said the former Proteas coach.

"It would have been great to have played a two-day game with the pink ball. When I was with South Africa, we played a two-day game before playing the day-night Test in Adelaide.