Starc eager to play pink-ball Test against India

Melbourne: His record with the pink ball is second to none and Australian paceman Mitchell Starc on Tuesday welcomed the prospect of bowling with it against India in a day-night Test during the home summer. Cricket Australia’s proposal to schedule a pink ball Test during India’s 2018-19 tour was turned down by the visitors.
However, in February BCCI president Sourav Ganguly announced that India has agreed to one for the upcoming tour.
“I think absolutely a pink-ball Test in the series against India is a great thing. The fans love it, I think it creates a different aspect to the contest, bat and ball are closer together in that contest,” Starc told reporters during an online press conference.
Australia, the pioneers of pink ball cricket, featured in the first ever day-night Test against New Zealand back in 2015. They remain undefeated after playing in seven games.
On the other hand, India played their maiden day-night Test against Bangladesh last November at the Eden Gardens, winning the match quite comfortably with plenty of time to spare.
“India played a pink-ball game in India so they’re not completely foreign to it. In terms of an advantage, if you like, we do have a good record at home with the pink ball,” Starc said.
The 30-year-old has featured in all seven of Australia’s day night Tests and accounted for 42 wickets at an average of 19.23.
“That might come into a home-ground advantage and it’s no different to us going to India and they’ve got the advantage there. “It’d be great to have a pink-ball contest in that series and from the little bits I’ve seen and heard, India are very much open to that as well so that’s fantastic,” he added. (PTI)