India In Sync With The Pink!

Interestingly, so far 11 Tests have been played under floodlights across diverse cities and all these skirmishes yielded a verdict.

- K. C. Vijaya Kumar

Test cricket is largely awash with natural colours. The green of the grass, the yellow luminescence of the sun, the brooding darkness of wafting clouds, the whites of the players and above all the pale brown grainy wooden bats countering a red cherry projectile emanating from a hurtling bowler. Truly it is a ballet under a bright light that spreads from the east and eventually wanes into the west.

The sport’s longest format is also akin to a regular work day, commencing in the morning, breaking for lunch and tea and winding up while the shadows lengthen. Add to it the acoustics — a packed venue with its heaving crowd busting its lungs and throat, cheering for the squads. Most players would confide that among all the elements intrinsic to the gladiatorial theatre called sport, it is the fans that elevate a ground, add character, besides lending their anecdotal memories as part of cricket’s evolving history.

But by and by the followers, strapped for time in an era of rapid delights and overwhelming stress, just did not have the patience for the pastoral delights of a Test. There was work to be done, tough professors or bosses to be handled, and despite all the ATMs in the world, money was a fleeing entity. And in walked the ODIs and later, the Twenty20s, much to the relief of those, who could perhaps spare a day or just a sliver of a night to savour some cricket that would throw up a decisive result unlike Tests that may slumber into the odd draw.