Ahmedabad: A rank turner is being anticipated at Motera but India captain Virat Kohli expects pacers to have as big a role as spinners in the day-night third Test against England, a side riddled with "many weaknesses" according to him.
Both teams have won a game each in the four-match series and ahead of the third Test here starting Wednesday, the talk has been incessantly focussed on the nature of the virgin track at the refurbished stadium.
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Snapshots from #TeamIndia's training session at the Motera ahead of the pink-ball Test.@Paytm #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/RTWxUVVNla
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 20, 2021 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Snapshots from #TeamIndia's training session at the Motera ahead of the pink-ball Test.@Paytm #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/RTWxUVVNla
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 20, 2021Snapshots from #TeamIndia's training session at the Motera ahead of the pink-ball Test.@Paytm #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/RTWxUVVNla
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 20, 2021
Asked if the ball is unlikely to swing much in the third Test, Kohli said he expects the pacers to be in the game till the ball is "nice and shiny".
Also Read: Focus on the cricket ball ahead of day-night Test, vs England
"I don't think that is an accurate assessment (that bowl will not swing). The pink ball does tend to swing a lot more than the red ball. We experienced that when we played for the first time in 2019 (against Bangladesh)," Kohli said in the pre-match press conference.
Kohli also rejected the assessment that England would have an edge if the pitch favours pacers.
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NEWS: @y_umesh added to #TeamIndia squad for the last two @Paytm #INDvENG Tests.
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2021 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Details 👉 https://t.co/PO6nBt8JWu pic.twitter.com/Ek796rZ0Is
">NEWS: @y_umesh added to #TeamIndia squad for the last two @Paytm #INDvENG Tests.
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2021
Details 👉 https://t.co/PO6nBt8JWu pic.twitter.com/Ek796rZ0IsNEWS: @y_umesh added to #TeamIndia squad for the last two @Paytm #INDvENG Tests.
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2021
Details 👉 https://t.co/PO6nBt8JWu pic.twitter.com/Ek796rZ0Is
"...not really bothered about what the strengths and weaknesses of the English team are. We have beaten them in their home as well, where the ball does way more and hold them out every time so we're not really bothered with that. It's just about playing well as a team," he said.
"And yeah, there are many, many weaknesses in the opposition side as well, if you are keen to exploit them. If it's a seamer-friendly track for them it's for us as well.
"And we probably have, you know, among other teams, the best bowling attack in the world so we're not really bothered by what the ball might bring differently to the table. We're ready for anything that comes our way," he asserted.
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#TeamIndia practice under lights as they gear up for the pink-ball Test at the Cricket Stadium at Motera. 👍👍 @Paytm #INDvENG
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2021 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
Here are a few snapshots from the nets session 📸👇 pic.twitter.com/bXOMd5ARxn
">#TeamIndia practice under lights as they gear up for the pink-ball Test at the Cricket Stadium at Motera. 👍👍 @Paytm #INDvENG
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2021
Here are a few snapshots from the nets session 📸👇 pic.twitter.com/bXOMd5ARxn#TeamIndia practice under lights as they gear up for the pink-ball Test at the Cricket Stadium at Motera. 👍👍 @Paytm #INDvENG
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2021
Here are a few snapshots from the nets session 📸👇 pic.twitter.com/bXOMd5ARxn
Also Read: Motera pitch: India step into the 'unknown' for the pink ball Test
Both teams go into the game with a lot of unknowns. The pink ball is known to aid the pacers but it remains to be seen how much it will help the spinners, which is considered India's strength at home.
Senior India batsman Rohit Sharma has already said that it will be another turning pitch. Kohli said facing the pink ball is more challenging than the red ball irrespective of the nature of the surface.
"It is much more challenging to play with a pink ball regardless of the pitch you play on. Especially in the evening, if as a batting team, you are starting your innings under lights then that one and a half hour are very challenging," he said.
"Yes spin will come into play for sure but I don't think the new ball and fast bowlers can be ignored. The pink ball does bring them into the game till the ball is nice and shiny, something we are very well aware of and preparing accordingly," added Kohli.