Mumbai: India batsman Ajinkya Rahane is excited at the prospect of playing with pink ball in theDuleep Trophy cricket tournament. Ajinkya Rahane India's Test vice-captain, has joined the chorus of pink-ball supporters, and suggested he was keen to try it out in the Duleep Trophy, which will be played as a day-night tournament this season.
While Rahane has played with a pink ball of a different brand in the past, he felt the dynamics of playing with the Kookaburra ball were different and that the Duleep Trophy would help players get a feel of it.
The Duleep Trophy will be played as a day-night tournament with pink ball this season. I am Really excited about this pink ball," Rahane told ESPNcricinfo in Mumbai.
"A long time back, I think, in an Emerging [Players] tournament we played with a pink ball, we played with fluorescent, green ball," he said. "But that was a different company - we played with Platypus ball but this Kookaburra is different and we will get an idea in the Duleep Trophy [as to] how it is behaving, what the bounce is like.
"I think the decision which BCCI made is really good. It is challenging when you play at neutral venues. Players will learn about their game, they will get to know how to go about it,” he said.
“You are actually thinking more about your game, your preparation will be more and your strategies before the game will be slightly different.
Because, when you play home games, you know your home conditions, but when you play neutral games I think players will get mentally tougher,” the right-handed batsman said.