BCCI orders 72 pink balls from SG for Eden Test
The BCCI has asked manufacturer SG to deliver 72 pink balls for India's first-ever day-night Test to be held at the Eden Gardens from November 22. In the past, the BCCI had used Kookaburra when it comes to Pink Ball matches in the Duleep Trophy, but is now set to go back to SG for the Test series.
While the pink-ball experiment is contemplated in India for over three years BCCI has never trusted SG, the manufacturer of regular Test balls for the longest time, falling on Kookaburra instead to provide balls for the Pink-Ball Duleep Trophy. However, for the maiden Pink Ball Test in the country, SG pink ball is set to make its debut at Eden Gardens.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has stated that the SG pink ball would be used for the match, as the first Test of the series would be played with the SG red ball, in Indore. Now, the BCCI has asked manufacturer SG to deliver 72 pink balls by next week.Â
"The BCCI has ordered six dozen pink balls and we will deliver them by the middle of next week. As you have seen in the South Africa series, we made significant improvements with our red 'SG Test' and we have the same level of research and development for the pink ball," company's sales and marketing director, Paras Anand, told PTI on Wednesday.
"In the last 12 months, we have really worked hard on the seam of the ball. The players told us how the SG seam was a lot more prominent in the past. So our focus again for the pink ball has been on the seam. We are trying to ensure the seam is good enough even if it is, say, 75 overs old both spinners and seamers can grip."
The decision has been reached because it is not permitted to use two different kinds of balls for one series. Considering Indore would be a traditional Day Test match, the BCCI is bound to use the same company ball for the Kolkata Test.