Team India request for special practice session in Indore with eye on upcoming D/N Test vs Bangladesh

Team India have been on a roll in the longer format. With a lead of 8 points compared to the rest of the teams in the ICC Test Championship points table, Virat Kohli & Co. are very much in line to seal a spot in the final of the Championship. Nonetheless, there is still plenty of challenges lying ahead for Kohli and team management.

India’s next assignment in whites is a home Test series versus the Bangla Tigers. After a rather close T20I series, the hosts will not like to take the visitors lightly if they wish to remain unbeaten in the championship. The series commences from November 14 (Thursday) in Indore whereas it will be followed by hosts’ first-ever day-night Test; which will be held at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata from November 22.

Thus, India do not have a lot of time to commence the transition from red to pink ball. In this regard, Kohli and Co. have requested for a special practice session in Indore with an eye on the pink-ball contest.

“The Indian Team will be practising with the pink ball under lights from 5 pm to 6 pm today (Tuesday) against a black sight-screen. We have got this request and have made the preparations accordingly,” MPCA head curator Samandar Singh Chouhan informed.

Talking about the Indore pitch, it is expected to assist the pacers. With the likes of Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav coming to the series on the back of a fruitful run versus the Proteas, in October, Kohli will be confident of his troops drawing early honours in Holkar Stadium, Indore.

So far, India have played a solitary Test in the stadium and won by a convincing margin; defeating New Zealand by 321 runs during the 2016 home season.

The Test series will present another chance for India to consolidate their lead in the Test Championship. However, the day-night Test can produce some issues for the home side and will be interesting to see how they cope up under lights.