India vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test: No dew at Chinnaswamy stadium adds to intrigue | Cricket News – Times of India

Fans geared up for maiden day-night Test
BENGALURU: There is an air of excitement and expectancy at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. The venue is being decked up to host its maiden day-night Test match, starting this weekend. The second Test between India and Sri Lanka will be the third D/N Test in India since Kolkata hosted the maiden contest in November 2019.
With 50% spectators allowed, tickets were sold out within hours of going on sale, with fans preparing to return to the stadium after a two-year hiatus. Away from the hype surrounding the match, the focus over the next few days will be on how the contest will pan out.
India, who cruised to an innings and 222-run victory in Mohali, will start firm favourites against the struggling Islanders. But Rohit Sharma & co will enter uncharted territory when they step on the ground on Saturday. The stadium, which hosted its maiden D/N match on March 9, 1996 – the historic India-Pakistan World Cup quarterfinal – has always been a high-scoring venue. But the first pink ball contest could be a different ball game.

DIFFERENT CONDITIONS
The conditions can be largely divided into two phases – before and after sunset. The ball is expected to behave differently in the final session when compared to the first two sessions. While it is predicted that the first session will be good to bat, with the sun going down, fast bowlers may get assistance.
Think pink-ball Test and one of the first things that comes to mind is the dew factor. In places where dew sets in late evening, it is a struggle for bowlers to grip the ball, while the batsmen have to contend with less bounce and the skidding ball.
LATE-NIGHT DEW
But given the conditions in Bengaluru, especially during this time of the year, the dew factor could well be neutralised. For one, the southern city is situated 3,000 feet above sea level, which means the humidity level is low. Heading into summer, the dew formation occurs late in the night, thus, taking the factor out of the equation.

MOISTURE CHALLENGE
Given the dry heat in Bengaluru, the challenge will be to retain moisture in the afternoon, especially in the first two hours of play. Hosting matches under lights is nothing new at the venue, which has seen some exciting international and Indian Premier League contests.
But, in this match, the ground staff too are testing the waters, with no prior experience of handling a day/night Test weighing on them. Balancing and regulation of moisture will be the key, but it is also a double-edged sword. If they work towards retaining moisture during the first session, the chances of the ball becoming soft and seaming under lights is high.
The challenges aside, the well-used but not worn Bengaluru surface – which was thoroughly scrutinised by head coach Rahul Dravid, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey and batting coach Vikram Rathour on Wednesday night – holds the promise of an exciting contest.