Pink ball is here to stay: Dean Jones

The iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata is all set to host India’s first day-night match with a pink ball. CAB president Sourav Ganguly had earlier announced that the final of the four-day Super League a club cricket tournament in Kolkata will be played with the pink ball. Ahead of the game, and pink ball’s India debut a panel of Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Dean Jones said that they feel the pink ball is here to stay and in the interest of the game.

The BCCI had also decided to broadcast the game live but the news from Kolkata is not very inspiring for the aspirations as rain threat looms over the match that is scheduled to start at 2:30 pm on Saturday.

Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones who was also a commentator during the first ever day-night Test at Adelaide during the discussion said, “Now what we see is a bully type of a game and batsmen are having it too easy over the last decade,”

“But with pink ball it would be an even contest, and I’m liking the thing here. I would like to see the ball swinging a little bit more. I would like to see the defensive skills of the batsmen. I think it will be a better game to watch. Pink ball is here to stay.”

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Concerns have been raised over the durability of the pink ball through the game to which Jones said, “It’s pink right through. Pink ball is not here to save Test cricket but to serve as a catalyst to bring people back.”

“It’s like changing the work hours of a stall. People cannot sit in 45 degree sun for cricket. The pink is the new red,” he said.

Ganguly has also had the experience of playing with pink ball in the game for MCC a few years back in the UAE. The former Indian skipper said that he didn’t have any problem sighting the ball. “Brightness was a lot better. This is here to bring people back to the ground.”

“It’s all about marketing. Pink ball is the way forward.”

“You have to find a way to bring people back to the ground. Everything needs a bit of innovation. Like nobody thought T20/IPL to be so popular till it came to being.”

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“We take time to get used to the changes but then realise that’s the best way forward. Yes, there will be dew in winter. But we face the same problem with white ball. First, let’s have a start. Let’s see the problems and try to address it and fix the issues.”

VVS Laxman at the same time opined that the pink ball should be handed over to India’s premier spinner like Ravichandran Ashwin to evaluate the turn it could extract.

“Ashwin’s only concern will be the softness of the ball as after 50 overs it loses colour and becomes soft what I heard. But with their calibre, the bowlers will find a way.”