India are set to face Australia in the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the first Test to be played at Adelaide on December 17. This is set to be played with the pink-ball and will be a Day-Night encounter.
While the Australian team have a lot of experience playing with the pink-ball, it will be the second time India will be playing a Day-Night Test. They have shown some promise in the ongoing second practice game against Australia A. The bowlers have ran through the Australian A batting order and the batsmen have responded with a strong performance in the second innings. However, it takes us back to a question. How good had India fared in their first-ever pink-ball Test?
India beat Bangladesh in their first-ever pink-ball Test by an innings and 46 runs
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had made sure that team India will take the next step and had started playing pink-ball cricket. They played their first pink-ball Test against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on 24th November 2019.
Batting first, Bangladesh were absolutely faltered for just 106 runs. Ishant Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 5-22. Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav also chipped in with wickets as the Indian pacers gave an exhibition on how to bowl with the pink ball and ask questions to the batsmen with probing line and length.
In their first inning, India did lose a few wickets upfront but the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara ensured that the team did not fall apart. His well-made 55 was backed up brilliantly by Indian skipper Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper played extremely well to become the first Indian to score a century in pink-ball Tests.
Kohli’s whirlwind inning of 136 runs included 18 fours. He showed remarkable control and played some exquisite shots all around the park. He was just too good for the Bangladesh bowlers and thus they found it very difficult to get him out. India declared on 347-9 on the back of an impressive performance with both bat and ball in the first innings.
In reply, Bangladesh were never really in the game as they were keeping on losing wickets at regular intervals. A fighting 74 from Mushfiqur Rahim was not enough for Bangladesh as they were handed a defeat by an innings and 46 runs.
Ishant Sharma was again the star of the show. He picked up 4 wickets and also helped Umesh Yadav take a five-wicket haul. The Indian bowlers absolutely dominated the Bangladesh batsman and hence this proves why is this bowling attack on of the best in the world.
