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When Did India Play Their First Ever Pink Ball Test? What Happened In The Match

Ishant Sharma emerged as the hero for India in their first Pink Ball Test [Source: @BCCI/x.com]Ishant Sharma emerged as the hero for India in their first Pink Ball Test [Source: @BCCI/x.com]

The battle between India and Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy is warming as the two teams gear up for the only Day/Night Test match in the series. The two teams will be crossing swords at the Adelaide Cricket Ground in Adelaide, Australia from December 6 at 9:30 AM IST.

The Day/Night Test Matches are also known as Pink Ball Test because of the colour of the ball used in the game. Before moving on to India's history of Pink Ball Test let us look at what Pink Ball Tests are and why a pink ball is used in D/N Test matches.

What Is Pink Ball Test?

Day and Night Test matches were an initiative by ICC to bring more audience to the purest form of the game. While the steps were being taken to go ahead with Day/Night Test matches it was finalised that pink ball used for these games. Pink ball was unique to international cricket at that time and hence D/N Test matches came to be known was Pink Ball Tests.

Why Is Pink Ball Used In Day/Night Test matches?

If we need to answer in a sentence then Pink Ball is more clearly visible than tradition Red Ball used in Test cricket. 

In this case, one might ask then why white ball is not being used for these matches. The answer lies in the fact that the white ball would get lost in the white jerseys of the player that they wear in Test matches. The first ever pink ball Test was played between Australia and New Zealand on November 2015.

When Did India Play Their First Pink Ball Test Match?

India played their first pink ball Test match Bangladesh at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on November 22, 2019. Bangladesh batted first in the game and were struck by a destructive spell from Ishant Sharma. The tall Indian pacer picked up five wickets for 22 runs in his 12 overs and played a major role in bundling them out for 106.

The then skipper of the Indian team, Virat Kohli played a wonderful knock and scored 136 runs off 194 deliveries. Kohli's knock helped India put a formidable total of 347/9 on the board, before they decided to declare the innings. 

In their second dig of the game, Bangladesh once again struggled to handle the Indian bowlers. While Umesh Yadav picked up five wicket, Ishant Sharma bagged four scalps. The effort by these two pacers resulted in Bangladesh being bundled out for 195. India managed to win the game by an innings and 49 runs.