Things are different with the pink ball, reveals Steve Smith
Australia are all set to take on New Zealand in a three-match Test series with the first Test slated to start at the WACA, Perth on Wednesday.
Pink ball Tests have already become a phenomenon. With the incorporation of the newest norm, the longest format of the game has got back its fan base. However, the pink ball has so far made the batsmen across the globe think twice before taking their step forward. There is some uncertainty in the minds of the batsmen, a sense of trepidation to be fair enough, and Steve Smith has reiterated that sense of unknown just before the start of New Zealand’s visit to Australia.
"There is a sense of unknown, particularly with the pink ball as well. You just never know. I watched the Test match last year, which seemed to have some good pace and bounce. I guess it's just different with the pink ball, how that responds," said Smith ahead of the 1st pink-ball Test of the series, reported Cricinfo.
"I think it will be about us just summing it up and seeing how it plays and adapting really quickly to whatever we need to do."
Smith will be playing his first day and night Test at WACA, Perth against the Black Caps. We did not get to see a lot of Steve Smith during Pakistan’s tour of Australia. As a result, Virat Kohli climbed up to the top spot of the ICC Test rankings after his pink-ball hundred against Bangladesh last month. But the former Australia skipper is not bothered about the Test rankings. He is more concerned about how to play the pink ball and how to exploit the conditions well when they take the field against the Kiwis on Thursday. Further, the Australian is wary of the WACA pitch and he believes if that his side should assess the wicket well and play their best game accordingly, they can handle the pink ball with ease. "We've seen here in the past, games at the WACA for instance, the cracks come into play late in the game. And if it's as hot as it says it's going to be, they could potentially come into play, which I think is good. When the cracks come into play, it's something that plays on your mind. You look down and you see these things. Generally, the balls that get you out don't touch the cracks, they're just sort of playing in your mind,” Smith added. "A lot of the guys have played when the wickets have been cracked and been able to play reasonably well. If it does happen, hopefully, we can adjust to it."
