Steve Smith is excited about the challenge of playing a pink-ball Test match in India.
Smith believes spinners have a larger influence in day-night Tests in India than in Australia, citing Axar Patel‘s exploits against England last year.
Steve Smith on playing pink-ball Test in India
Australia’s streak of only using their own rules to play the format could soon come to an end.
Australia’s next international tour, which will take them to India where they’ll play four Test matches in February and March, has been heavily rumored to include a pink-ball match.
Smith, one of the top players, observed Axar Patel’s supremacy in India with the pink ball. The right-handed batsman noted that it’s enjoyable to take on the challenge that the pink ball poses under various circumstances.
“The game they played at Ahmedabad, you saw the spinners taking a lot of wickets which is a bit different to here. Axar Patel was getting a lot of skid and getting a lot of lbws. It’s different compared to here where you see the seamers taking the bulk of the wickets. It’s interesting the different ways the game has been played for the time that the pink ball has been around. But they’re good fun to play in for sure. It is a bit different as a player, you can do some different things strategically or tactically at times,” he said.
Axar wreaked havoc on the visitors in the second Test of the four-match series against England, where he made his debut. He claimed 27 wickets in three Tests, including four wickets, for an average of 10.59. If Australia plays a pink-ball Test in India, they would surely struggle to preserve their unmatched record in such matches.
Smith asserted that he is willing to step in as captain when necessary and carry out the tasks assigned to him.
“I’m pretty chilled. Whenever they want me to stand in and do a game here or there I’m more than happy to but he is the man. I’ll help him and support him in any way that I can and when he’s not fit and ready, then I’ll stand in and do what I need to do,” he added.
