It is a different challenge: England captain Ben Stokes on playing day-night Test
Brisbane, November 30
England captain Ben Stokes has said that playing a day-night Test is a different challenge. Stokes' statement comes ahead of the second Test against Australia in Brisbane, which starts on December 4. Notably, the second Test will be a day-night game."It is a different challenge, you know, day-nighter, you know, start the day where it's like this and then you come on the lights, it's a different ball, pink, conditions will change when those lights come on, and whoever's bowling, you know, that tends to be how it goes out here in Australia. So yeah, look, we've got five days of training here, getting used to all those, you know, different conditions that we'll be faced with. We couldn't actually get into the Gabba on Sunday, so thanks to Alan Borderfield here for letting us use their facilities, " Stokes said while speaking to England Cricket.
"But, yeah, two of which are under the lights at Adelaide, about where we will be playing. So yeah, we're using our time very wisely here and know that we're going into this game very well prepared," he added.
The England captain also spoke about doing training with the pink ball in the heat. He added that when the Three Lions get to train under the lights, things could change completely.
"Look, we're all playing at the highest level of the sport, seriously good players and that's what training's for. Training to figure out what it might do, what we're going to be faced with. We'll be bowling with the pink ball in the heat, the lads will be batting with the pink ball under the heat today and then obviously when we get to those two training sessions that we have on the lights, things will be completely different," the England captain said.
"We're all good enough players to work all that kind of stuff out ourself but I'm sure people will come to the likes of myself, Joe and the other lads who have played in the day-night test match and maybe try to pick their brains about tiny little things but you put lads in situations where you try and let them work it out for themselves because they're all good enough players to be able to do that," Stokes added.
Ben Stokes highlighted the need to get used to the pink ball when it's not under lights. He added that they got extra days of training after the first Test, which Australia won by eight wickets in Perth, was inside just two days.
"Look, we, let's see, you come away in a two-and-a-half-month tour and you've obviously got to put a lot of planning into that and before something's happened, you've obviously got to plan like every game is going to go five days. That wasn't the case. So we had to sort of go back to the drawing board and go, right, we've got eight days or nine days until the next test," England captain said.
"We had a three-day schedule, I think, but the game lasted two days. So we were like, right, okay, let's get some more training in and give ourselves even more opportunity to get used to this pink ball and what it's going to do, not only under lights, but also when it's not under lights. So yeah, you've got to change when things don't go to plan. That's what we've ended up doing this week," Stokes added.Australia won the first Test in Perth by eight wickets. Travis Head played a match-winning 123 runs to guide the hosts to chase down the 205-run target. Australia are leading the five-match Test series 1-0.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see how much planning goes into these tours. The fact that they had to re-plan after a 2-day Test shows how unpredictable cricket can be. As an Indian fan, I remember our team's struggles with the pink ball initially. It's a different beast altogether.
Stokes sounds very pragmatic. But honestly, England's batting looked clueless in Perth. All the training in the world won't help if your top order collapses. They need to show more fight, like our Indian team did on the last tour down under. Jai Hind!
The pink ball does behave strangely, especially that twilight period. It's smart they're getting extra sessions. From a viewer's perspective, day-night Tests are perfect for us in India - we can watch after work! Hope the match is more competitive than the first one.
Respect to Stokes for his leadership, but I have to say this feels like an excuse in the making. Every team faces the same conditions. Australia adapted better in Perth. England needs to stop talking about preparation and just bat and bowl better. Simple.
The Ashes is such a legendary rivalry! Good to see them using local facilities (Alan Border Field). The pink ball session under lights is crucial - it swings so much. Makes me excited for when India tours Australia next. Our pace attack would love those conditions!
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