India is a nation that loves cricket. Nothing can be truer than this. So what is expected is that most of the innovations that have happened in cricket should have started in this nation. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The biggest of all the changes to come to the game in the centuries since its inception, the pink match ball has been adopted by many nations except India who are still loath to let go of the iconic cherry red test ball. However, this is not the only thing the BCCI is known to be reluctant about. Many new aspects of international cricket, from the decision review system of the 1920s, to the acceptance of test cricket under the lights, still await a hearty welcome from the Indian cricket board of control. This is quite unlikely for a country where Cricket is such a big business that Fantasy cricket game app users today number a whopping 7-8 million and growing. More than the gross population of many countries. So why is this pink ball still waiting for a clear green light from the board so it can enter the Indian cricket arena?

The problem generally lies with India’s reluctance to adopt Day/Night test cricket. But if BCCI Acting Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary is to be believed, it could only be a matter of time before India plays with the pink ball. Mr. Chaudhury had stated that he raised the issue with officials and a decision would be made. However, there are reports also suggesting that India will not play a day and night Test because it is not part of the World Test Championship. Either way, India playing a test match under the lights at home seems like a time-consuming affair. India and Bangladesh are the only two teams that have yet to play a test match under the lights. Australia have played a day and night test as part of their home season for the last three years in Adelaide, against New Zealand, South Africa and England, and would definitely want to play one against India. Understandably, India would not want their first experience with the pink ball to be in the difficult conditions of Adelaide and will want to play one at home first. Especially when the players take on the responsibilities of their fans’ dreams and hopes. Having a good stat and winning is important, especially in an era like this when fans are also directly involved in the game when they play fantasy cricket online through their own device.

With day/night test matches out of the question, the question that most concerns ardent cricket fans is why the nation is so reluctant to adopt the Pink Ball. The tone factor definitely plays here. People are concerned about how the pink ball will perform in Indian conditions, with factors like flatter pitches, spray factor and reliance on spinners. The Duleep Trophy in 2016-’17 and then 2017-’18 were played under lights on an experimental basis and the pink ball did not get a majority vote of confidence from the players. Many Indian cricketers expressed that the pink ball offers very little help to closers and becomes particularly difficult to play with when there is little dew. The other issues with the ball, made by Kookaburra at its factory in Melbourne, are slower wear that reduces swing, visibility of the black stitching, and its conductivity for spinners. The spin factor is something that can be worked on on a spin court, but might not be effective on the flattering lanes, according to a hitter who played the Duleep Trophy. Shannon Gill, Director of Communications for Kookburra, responded to this concern that the structural changes between the pink and red ball are made to ensure visibility under the lights. Unfortunately, structural changes are what prevent Indian Cricketers from adopting the ball. The pink ball is also susceptible to wear, which affects its visibility once the ball becomes covered in dirt and dust. However, Gill is optimistic about the progress the pink ball is making, stating that players are skeptical about adopting this new ball because they are usually used to playing with balls of a particular color and stitching. It’s just a fine-tuning stage, she told her, and before long, we may have the pink balls hitting our field.