India Red hold edge in Duleep Trophy final

DINDIGUL: In a contest where spinners are expected to play a prominent role, India Red will hold the edge when they take on India Blue in the Duleep Trophy at NPR College ground from Tuesday.
Having dominated proceedings when the two teams clashed earlier in the group stage, the Abhinav Mukund-led India Red side will be hoping to draw on that and produce a similar performance over the next five days.
When the two teams trained here on Monday, the playing surface had a tinge of grass on it but both teams expect the 22 yards to take turn as the game progresses considering it's a five-day affair and the same pitch on which the two teams played earlier in the tournament.
"This is the same wicket on which we played them (India Blue) during the league phase. It didn't turn straight away but with the footmarks and the rough created by the fast bowlers, there was help for the spinners. Considering it's a five-day game, you can expect help for spinners as the game progresses," said India Red skipper Abhinav Mukund on the eve of the clash.
While India Red possess two spinners in Parvez Rasool and Mihir Hirwani to take advantage of whatever assistance on offer, their opponents could be hampered due to the absence of off-spinner Akshay Wakhare due to a sore shoulder. He has been replaced by Deepak Hooda, who is only a part-time spinner.
It will be up to left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar, who is the top wicket-taker in the tournament with 14 scalps, to shoulder the bulk of the work in the spin bowling department then for Faiz Fazal & Co.
India Red, too, will have to make do without Rajneesh Gurbani and Shahbaz Nadeem, who played crucial roles in getting them to the final but are now part of the India 'A' squad for the two four-day games against Australia 'A'. Abhimanyu Mithun will also miss out with an ankle injury. They have good reinforcements, though, in pacer Prasidh Krishna and wicketkeeper-batsman Ishan Kishan. "Both Nadeem and Gurbani did extremely well for us in the tournament but we have good replacements in the side," Abhinav added.
Report on pink ball sent to BCCI: Ahead of the final, both teams dwelled on the fact that the pink ball did little to assist the bowlers once it got older. "After 50-60 overs, there is no assistance for both pacers and spinners with the pink ball. While it's definitely a fun concept, I hope they do something about the ball," India Red skipper Abhinav said.
India Red coach D Vasu revealed that an internal report on the pink ball has been submitted to the BCCI. "There needs to be more work done on the pink Kookaburra balls used in the tournament because the ball doesn't naturally shine as it's got an artificial coating on the top. We have put that across to the board and the BCCI is addressing it. It really helps the spinners only in the first 30 overs and doesn't assist in reverse swing which is a big drawback for the fast bowlers," Vasu said.