Published: Nov 22, 2015, 04:56 PM (IST)
Edited: Nov 22, 2015, 04:56 PM (IST)
New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer Atul Wassan on Sunday said that the idea of experimenting with the pink ball and the day and night Test would be a flop from the perspective of attracting more spectators to the stadium to watch the game in real time. Wassan stressed that the historic Test would not attract a greater audience and added that the colour of the ball would hardly make any difference. Reflecting on the new idea, the 47-year-old insisted there is certain ethos attached with Test cricket which should not be changed. ALSO READ: Brendon McCullum gets praised by Atul Wassan for revealing Chris Cairns’ name in spot-fixing case
The former cricketer also said that changing colour of a ball was a major flop when it was used experimentally during a Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Mumbai in Gwalior recently. The first day-night Test match will be played between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide, starting from November 27. Earlier, Kookaburra Managing Director Brett Elliot hits back at criticism it received regarding the pink ball that during the warm-up match between Western Australia and New Zealand at Perth on Saturday. Elliot believes that the WACA pitch was a dead rubber and did not have assistance for the bowlers and as a result the attention immediately shifted to the the feasibility of the pink ball. ALSO READ: Pink balls must not be judged solely on the proceedings of Australia vs New Zealand 2015-16 day-night Test
“The pitch in Perth seemed to offer very little movement for the bowlers and thus it seemed to focus attention on the ball,’’ Elliot said, from an overseas trip. “Conditions have a big impact on the ability of balls to swing or move and in the first few days there was little movement for bowlers. As cracks opened and humidity rose, the conditions became a little more bowler friendly in later stages and we saw New Zealand opt not to take the [second] new ball.
