As the second Test of India against Australia has started on December 6, the importance of the Pink ball Test is increasing. India so far has played four Pink Ball Tests. Out of these, the team had won three while losing one. With the Pink Ball Test presenting different challenges due to its visibility under lights and the swing it offers to bowlers, players have to adjust their techniques.
List of top 5 run-scorers for India in the pink ball Test
5. Cheteshwar Pujara – 98 Runs
The reliable Cheteshwar Pujara comes at number five with 98 runs from three Pink Ball Tests. Pujara marked the beginning of his career in day-night Tests when he played a key role in India’s dominant victory over Bangladesh in Kolkata in 2019. There, he scored 55 runs to help India post an innings and 46-run victory.
Against Australia in Adelaide the following year, Pujara scored 43 runs in the first innings. In the second inning, he got out without scoring, a rare failure for him. In his last Pink Ball outing against England in Ahmedabad in 2021, Pujara was dismissed without scoring in both innings of the match. Despite these few failures, Pujara remains a key figure in India’s day-night Test lineup.
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4. Ajinkya Rahane – 100 Runs
Indian cricket’s veteran Ajinkya Rahane is placed fourth with three Pink Ball Tests having earned him 100 runs. Rahane has shown great skill and composure in the Pink Ball format. He began with a 51-run contribution against Bangladesh in 2019 to help India build a massive lead.
His most memorable performance as a cover captain was in Australia, for which he scored 42 runs in the first innings of the 2020 Pink Ball Test match in Adelaide, though couldn’t score a single in the second. Rahane’s last game in the format was for England back in 2021 with just seven runs. Despite the not-so-successful stint, Rahane’s adapting skills to Pink Ball Test format make him an imperative part of India’s XI.
3. Shreyas Iyer – 159 Runs
Shreyas Iyer has only featured once in a Pink Ball Test so far, but when he did play, his impact was spectacular. This happened in 2022, during the Pink Ball Test against Sri Lanka, played at Bengaluru. In the first innings, he scored a well-compiled 92 runs, which set the foundation for the strong total by India.
He then continued with another quickfire knock of 67 runs in the second innings, which helped India declare at 303/9. The match finally went in favor of India by a convincing margin of 238 runs. Iyer’s flair and aggression along with his adjustability to the Pink Ball makes him a key player in the future day-night tests.
2. Rohit Sharma – 173 Runs
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Rohit Sharma has scored 173 runs across three matches in the Pink Ball Test format. His start was against Bangladesh in 2019, when he scored 21 runs in the first innings. In that match, India emerged victorious comfortably.
Against England in 2021, Rohit scored 66 runs in the first innings and 25* runs in the second innings as India won by 10 wickets. In his last Pink Ball Test against Sri Lanka, Rohit scored 15 runs in the first innings and 46 runs in the second innings. His ability to provide solid starts and shift gears at the right moments has been instrumental in India’s success in day-night Tests.
1. Virat Kohli – 277 Runs
Undoubtedly, India’s No. 1 in Pink Ball Test is Virat Kohli who has aggregated 277 runs in six innings. Kohli’s career in the Pink Ball Test has been one of consistency and flair, making him India’s highest run-scorer in this format.
His most memorable performance came against Bangladesh in 2019 when he scored a brilliant 136 runs, anchoring India’s innings. Kohli also scored 74 runs in the first innings of the 2020 Adelaide Test against Australia, though he fell for just four runs in the second innings.
His performances against England and Sri Lanka in 2021 and 2022 where he has made modest contributions by scoring 27, 23, and 13 runs are not as striking as his others but speak well of his continued presence in the batting lineup of the Indian team. Kohli is technically and as a leader very vital for India’s success in Pink Ball Tests.
At a time when the Pink Ball Test series between India and Australia commences in Adelaide, the performances of these five batsmen—Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, and Cheteshwar Pujara—are a testament to Indian resilience in the day-night format.
Each of them has contributed significantly in the past, and their match would be crucial for the fact that India will continue with their strong record at Pink Ball Tests.
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