India vs England 2021: Evening Session Will Be The Toughest For Batsmen- Virat Kohli

Indian captain Virat Kohli has reckoned that the evening session will be the most challenging to bat during the pink-ball Test against England at the newly revamped Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The caravan of the India-England Test series has moved to its Ahmedabad leg where the last two matches will be played, the first of which is a day-night encounter, starting February 24.

Addressing the media ahead of the all-important third Test, Virat Kohli said that the first session, which will start in the afternoon, will be the easier to bat on, while the batsmen will have to put their head down and take a fresh guard once the artificial lights take over as the pink ball tends to jag around in the evening session.

“The pink ball does tend to swing a lot more than the red ball. It’s much more challenging to bat against a new pink ball. The period in the evening is very challenging. We are preparing accordingly,” Virat Kohli said at the virtual press-conference. ”In a pink ball Test, the first session is the best to bat on. You have to take guard again and start from scratch in the evening.”

‘We’re proud to have the biggest cricket stadium in the world’- Virat Kohli

The third Test will be played at the newly revamped Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad. The World’s largest Stadium boasts a record capacity of 1,10,000 and despite 50% of spectators allowed in the stadium for the pink-ball Test, it will still consist of as many as 55000 raucous Indian fans cheering for Virat Kohli’s men.

Kohli, who feeds on the crowd, said that the crowd presence matters a lot and he is hoping for good support from fans in the upcoming Test. The Indian captain also went on to heap high praise on the world-class infrastructure, adding that the entire team is excited to play at the venue.

When asked if the orange-colored seats will make catching harder, Virat responded in the negative.

“Crowd presence does make a big difference. We feel the pressure too when we play abroad. Hoping for good support in the coming Tests. We’re proud to have the biggest cricket stadium in the world. The infrastructure is very good and we’re all really excited to play here. Don’t think the orange seats will make catching harder,” Virat Kohli added.

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