Mitchell Starc backs plan for pink-ball Tests against India

Sports Tuesday 26/May/2020 16:42 PM
By: Times News Service
Mitchell Starc backs plan for pink-ball Tests against India

Sydney: Australia pace bowler Mitchell Starc is looking forward to the prospect of playing a pink-ball Test during India's next Test tour of the country.
India are scheduled to tour Australia at the end of the year for four Tests. While on their previous visit they had declined a proposal to play a day/night Test citing lack of experience with the pink ball, Virat Kohli's men have since featured in their maiden pink-ball Test, against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens last November, and are reportedly open to the idea of playing one in Australia. There is no confirmation on the exact fixtures list for the tour, but Starc thinks a Test under lights between the teams would be a great idea.
The left-arm speedster has an excellent record with the pink ball, picking up 42 wickets from seven matches at an average of 19.23 – by far the most among all bowlers. "I don't think ... they should all of a sudden have a pink-ball summer, that's something I'd be heavily against," he told reporters on a video call. "[But] I think absolutely a pink-ball Test in this series against India is a great thing.
“The fans love it, it creates a different aspect of the contest. I think bat and ball are a lot closer together."
Australia have played more pink-ball Tests – seven – than any other team. Starc admitted their experience gave them an edge, but likened it to any home advantage.
"India have played a pink-ball game in India so they’re not completely foreign to it," he said. "In terms of the advantage, if you like, we do have a good record at home with the pink ball. 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."