India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha on Wednesday (November 20) dismissed the talks of pink ball being a challenge for pacers like Mohammad Shami who, according to him, can be trusted to run through batting line-up regardless of the ball's colour or the nature of strip.
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India and Bangladesh are set to make their pink ball debut under lights at the Eden Gardens on November 22.
Shami claimed seven wickets across the two innings in Indore while the Indian pace attack picked up 14 scalps among them to script the home team’s innings and 130-run victory over Bangladesh in the series opener.
"With the form they (Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav) are in, the pink ball is not a factor. Especially (Mohammed) Shami, he can be deadly on any wicket. He has pace and is able to extract reverse swing," Saha quoted as saying by PTI.
"We are yet to see the movement of the pink ball. But the colour of the ball won't matter with the current form of our pacers," he added.
Some of the Indian cricketers including Cheteshwar Pujara, Mohammad Shami and Saha himself have faced the pink ball challenge in domestic cricket, but the wicketkeeper pointed out that it was a Kookaburra.
"The only change is the colour of the ball. It's made differently. There's also a change in the timing and picking the ball a bit difficult in twilight. It may help the pacers but will be challenging for the batsmen," Saha said.
He also seemed concerned about the colour of the sight-screen which would be white.
"In white ball cricket, we have black background and the feel remains the same even after it gets old. But here we have to see the backdrop. If it's not clear, it will be challenging for the wicketkeeper as well," Saha asserted.
"I stand near the slip fielders only. Our pacers at times deliver with a wobbly seam position. I will face the same challenge as them (slip fielders). But we have to accept the conditions offered to us. It's the way forward."
(With PTI inputs)
