'Can't get better than this' - Sourav Ganguly impressed with Kolkata turning ‘Pink City’ for historic Test

India will be taking on Bangladesh in the second of their two-Test series at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, next. The hosts have an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series by the virtue of their innings and 130-run win in Indore and it is very unlikely that the Tigers can make some real turnaround in the second game. But more than the Tigers, the Indians are concerned with the pink ball that will be used in the match that will be a day-night affair — the first time in the 87-year history of India’s Test cricket.

While players from both sides are preparing to the fullest for the occasion (Bangladesh are also playing a day-night Test for the first time), the organizers and even the ‘City of Joy’ have decided to welcome the historic game in a grand way that has left even local hero Sourav Ganguly, currently the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), impressed.

Ganguly, who played an instrumental role behind the day-night Test and convinced captain Virat Kohli quickly, shared pictures of various places in Kolkata that turned pink in the run-up to the game that will start at 1 pm over the next five days.

A number of landmarks in the city turned pink for the occasion, including Shahid Minar. The Apollo Hospitals also became pink and Ganguly shared pictures of Kolkata turning pink and praised the BCCI and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) for the initiative. He also praised Kolkata saying it never lets sports down.

Can’t get better then this @bcci @cab pic.twitter.com/RQEI66Thw6

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) November 20, 2019

The city turns pink on the pink test .. well done @bcci and @cab pic.twitter.com/6iwSgitzGQ

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) November 20, 2019

The city never lets down sport .. pink test a big occasion @bcci@cab.. the Sahid minar goes pink pic.twitter.com/SNqnbjSrAa

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) November 20, 2019

India team practices hard ahead of day-night Test

The Indian team was seen practicing hard for the occasion ahead of the match. The frontline batsmen were seen facing the main pacers to adjust to the ball which is predicted to swing more than the traditional red ball. Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh said recently that he felt the wrist-spinners to have more advantage with the pink ball than the finger-spinners.

The first pink-ball Test was played in 2015 when Australia and New Zealand took on each other in Adelaide. India were initially reluctant to join the party but it all changed after Ganguly took charge last month.