Former India batsman Sachin Tendulkar on Friday said that the first session in the day-night Test will be “critical”.
“The first session, before the dew sets in, is going to be critical. The declaration becomes important – (if) your tailenders are batting, you don’t need to score those 20 or 25 extra runs,” cricket.com.au quoted Tendulkar as saying.
India will tour Australia for a four-Test series later this year that could feature a day-night Test between the nations for the first time.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly and skipper Virat Kohli have expressed their willingness to play a pink-ball Test against Australia. India have played their first-ever day-night Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata against Bangladesh in November which was won by the home side by an innings and 46 runs.
“You’d much rather declare and get three or four top-order wickets during that period, because I felt the ball would better on the pitch and the temperature starts dropping,” Tendulkar said.
“There is lateral movement when the dew sets in, the ball starts skidding through. Those 15-20 overs (under lights) are critical,” he added.
The legendary batsman has to deal with a lot of comparisons with the current batsmen which the veteran did not like.
“I don’t like getting into comparisons. People have tried comparing me to a number of guys and I’ve said, ‘Just leave us alone’,” said Tendulkar.
“Let’s not get into comparisons and let us enjoy what both those individuals are doing. They are entertaining the entire cricketing world and it’s a joy for us to watch,” he added.
Tendulkar is currently in Australia as he is the coach of the Ponting XI for the upcoming Bushfire relief fundraiser match.
The match between Ponting XI and Gilchrist XI will be played on Sunday, February 9 at the Junction Oval.