5 factors which will play a deciding role in day-night Test matches

The entire cricketing world is excited at the prospect of watching the first day-night Test match about to be played between Australia and New Zealand from the 27th of November this year. Talks of playing the longer format of the game under lights have been on for some time now. The enthusiasm about such an exciting prospect has however been tempered so far by grave doubts and uncertainties. With escalating problems of poor viewership, there was a general consensus that something needed to be done to reawaken interest in Test cricket. It is common knowledge that day-night Tests are being introduced keeping this falling viewership in mind.Despite the mixed reactions, the much-awaited match is all set to be played and only time will tell how much of the fears and insecurities are justified. Let us look at five important factors which will play a deciding role in day-night Test matches.

#5 Reverse swing

It will be interesting to see how much reverse swing is being generated

When we think of reverse swing, we are instant reminded of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. But those fast inswinging toe-crushing yorkers have become less frequent now. Reverse swing as many believe is a dying art now.

But all of that might change if day-night Test matches become a regular affair. Though Mitchell Starc complained of the lack of swing, the pink ball is expected to bring reverse swing into action as it loses its hardness quickly.

With the pink ball swinging more under floodlights and Mitchell Johnson coming round the wicket, there will not be a paucity of those toe-crushing yorkers. Certainly not good news for the Kiwi batsmen!

#4 Absence of sunlight

Will we see such a sight in day-night Tests?

The absence of sunlight mostly during day-night Tests will be an important factor that can make a difference. The effect that sunlight has on pitches is a vital factor in Test match cricket.

Without sunlight, pitches will retain the early moisture and the ball will swing for a longer period of time. The sun beating down on the surface also causes cracks to open up and widen as the Test match progresses. Without the absence of cracks, spinners might find it difficult to exploit the conditions.

Instances of a ball shooting up from a crack or the odd one keeping low might be few and far between. The natural progression of a Test match might be hurt. But on the positive side, there will be no added advantage for the bowlers on a fifth-day pitch and sides might not worry too much about batting fourth.

#3 Batting under floodlights

The team that adjusts better will have an upper hand

Batting for long hours under floodlights when the batsmen are not trying to dominate the bowling but simply looking to play out the overs might be a tricky proposition. Batsmen need to make a crucial mental adjustment if they are to play the long innings under floodlights.

As play is likely to begin during the afternoon, it might be difficult for players to make the adjustment as the night sets in. Venkatesh Prasad, the former Indian seamer, expressed his fears about the adjustment the players will have to make. He said, " On the same day, a batting or bowling side will have to grapple with two sets of conditions, one during the day and another at night. It affects the natural flow of a Test."

The time in the evening when the daylight begins to fade and the artificial lights begin to set in is the trickiest phase for any batsman. No batsman will like to come in to bat during that time. Even batsmen who are well set will have to make the crucial adjustment to negotiate the bowling during the phase of play. With shadows lengthening in the outfield, it will not be easy for the fielders as well.

#2 The dew factor

Dew factor could play a huge role if a day-night Test is played in the sub-continent

One of the main reasons why Indian legend Erapalli Prasanna was unhappy with the prospect of day-night Test matches is because of the dew factor. Dew makes a huge difference in day-night ODIs so much so that captains have to factor in the conditions while making plans and calculations in day-night one-dayers.

The dew will surely play an important role in day-night Test matches as well. Spinners find it especially difficult to grip the wet ball. If more day-night Test matches are played in the coming future, spinners bowling in tandem who generally dominate in sub-continental conditions might find it difficult to do so. Running through oppositions on a day five wicket might not be an easy prospect for a spinner.

Venkatapathy Raju, the former Indian left-arm spinner, is genuinely concerned about the role of spinners in day-night Tests. He said, " The spinners will have to cope with the dew factor. It is one thing to bowl 10 overs trying to restrict batsmen in ODIs, but something else to send down a lot of overs and dismiss them in Tests. I do not see the ball gripping the pitch for spinners in such conditions.”

The dew will however, make the ball zip around and skid through making the batsmen hurry. The faster bowlers will surely enjoy bowling under lights.

#1 The pink ball

Will the pink ball help the bowlers?

The pink ball specially designed to be visible under floodlights is the biggest cause of concern for the players now. Though Cricket Australia has carried out tests to prove that the pink ball does not behave differently from its red equivalent, players remain sceptical at best.

Mitchell Starc who was involved in a round of Sheffield Shield day-night trial matches in Australia has expressed his fears about the pink ball. “It doesn’t react anything like the red ball, in terms of swing and the hardness of it anyway,” he said speaking to the media in England. “It goes soft pretty quickly, I didn’t see a huge amount of reverse swing in that game and I don’t think it swung from memory too much until the artificial light took over."

“It definitely reacts very, very differently to the red ball. I couldn’t see the thing at night on the boundary. I couldn’t see the ball. So I’m not sure how the crowd are going to see it. I understand the pink ball has changed a lot from when it first came in for trials. It’s improved a lot, so Kookaburra has done well there. But time will tell if it works with the crowds and the viewership and the way that cricketers respond to it.”