England all-rounder Ben Stokes has revealed that the English fast bowlers are licking their lips to bowl with the pink-ball in the third Test match against India.
The pink ball is expected to provide more assistance to the fast bowlers as it seams and swings more than the red ball.
Furthermore, it is not easy to face the pink ball in the twilight session. The England fast bowlers – James Anderson, Stuart Broad, and Jofra Archer – will look to make the most of the pink ball Test and deliver the goods with the ball.
The visitors are expected to play with three fast bowlers and the likes of Anderson and Archer will be difficult to play under the lights. Moreover, Ben Stokes, who hasn’t bowled much in the ongoing series, will play a crucial role with the ball in the Day-Night Test.
Stokes said while talking to talkSport, “This is going to be a completely different game. I can tell you Jimmy (Anderson), Jofra (Archer), and Stuart (Broad) have been licking their lips. We’ve seen how day-night cricket has offered assistance to quick bowlers, especially when the lights come on. The pink ball does seem to do more.”
Stokes added that there will be help for the fast bowlers with the pink ball in the twilight conditions. England fast bowlers – James Anderson and Stuart Broad – have all the experience under their bag and they are the masters of swinging the ball both ways.
“When the lights went on yesterday the nets got really dangerous. The quick bowlers had to stop because we were worried some batsmen were going to get injured. The ball started jumping off a length and a few guys got hit. We had to take the bowlers out to the middle to finish their spells. Whether it will be the same once the match starts, we don’t know, but we’ve definitely seen a difference so far.”
The fast bowlers have enjoyed bowling with the pink ball since the first Day-Night Test in 2015. The pacers have an average of 24.85 whereas the spinners have an average of 33.76 with the pink ball. However, it will be interesting to note how much help the Motera pitch will provide to the fast bowlers.
The visitors will hope that the pitch provides their fast bowlers some help, which was not the case in the second Test match at Chepauk, where the ball was turning square from the opening day.
The third Test match starts tomorrow at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad.
