Problems anticipated and possible solutions with pink ball cricket in India

Spinners at disadvantage

Nathan Lyon played in Adelaide Test, picking up 3 wickets over two innings

In the Quad-e-Azam Cup final, which was held under lights in Pakistan with a pink ball, 27 of the 32 wickets that fell were taken by fast bowlers. In the Adelaide Test, which got over in three days, 29 wickets were claimed by fast bowlers.

Spinners have not yet bowled on Indian pitches with this new ball, but could the limited sample of results we have had indicate that it is a possibility that India might lose their advantage of spin bowling if pink ball cricket comes in vogue?

Another issue that could be faced in India is the amount of dew, which might take spinners out of the equation as the night wears on.

Asked about this, VVS Laxman has said that spinners will probably need to come up with new innovations, but he does not think that there will be too much of a change in spinners’ contribution on Indian pitches.

And as Ganguly has said, all doubts pertaining to this will remain until the day Ravichandran Ashwin takes a six-wicket haul with the ball, after which everybody shall be a vocal advocate of a theory that the pink ball actually assists spinners.