Jofra Archer Looking Forward To Seize The Momentum By Winning The 3rd Day-Night Test

Feb 23, 2021 at 12:15 PM

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Jofra Archer Looking Forward To Seize The Momentum By Winning The 3rd Day-Night Test

Jofra Archer said he is looking forward to playing with the pink ball in Ahmedabad and said the visitors will be looking to make good use of the conditions on offer as they will try their best to take a 2-1 lead ahead of the fourth and final Test.

England fast bowler Jofra Archer said the visitors are confident that they can win the ongoing Test series against India and that the pink-ball Test in Ahmedabad will be crucial to their chances of getting the desired result.

Jofra Archer (AP Image)
Jofra Archer (AP Image)

Jofra Archer Thinks England Will Control The 4th Test If They Win The 3rd Test

England will be heading into the 3rd Test, starting February 24 with the series level at 1-1 and Jofra Archer believes they can control the last game if they emerge victorious in the pink-ball Test. England doesn’t have an impressive record away from home in day-night Tests as they have lost both Tests, one in Australia and the other in New Zealand. However, Jofra Archer believes that England will look to seize the momentum in the 3rd Test.

“Oh yes. I think that’s why this next Test is important. If we do go ahead we can always draw (fourth Test),” Archer said when asked if England can win the series in India.

Day/Night Test faced divided opinions during its inception. (File Photo)
Day/Night Test faced divided opinions during its inception. (File Photo)

“We always play to win but this next one puts us in the driver’s seat, I think we control the last game if we win this one.”

There is a lot of talk about the SG pink ball in the lead up to the 3rd Test as England has played day-night Tests only with the Kookaburra and the Dukes.

England beat West Indies by an innings and 209 runs but lost to Australia by 120 runs and to New Zealand by an innings and 49 runs in the 3 day-night Tests played by them. India beat Bangladesh by an innings and 46 runs before losing to Australia by 8 wickets where they registered the lowest ever Test score of 36 in the 2nd innings in the 2 day-night Tests played by the team. The 1st-ever day-night Test was played between Australia and New Zealand in 2015.

Jofra Archer: It’s Nice To Actually Play With The Pink Ball And Spinners Will Play A Major Role

India dominated Bangladesh in the only pink-ball Test played with the SG ball as they sealed an innings and 46-run win at the Eden Gardens.

However, Jofra Archer played down the concerns, saying he did not find a lot of difference in terms of the ball and that he is looking forward to featuring in the 3rd Test. Jofra Archer missed the 2nd Test due to a niggle and England went on to lose the match in Chennai by 317 runs.

“It feels like a normal pink ball, to be honest. Used the pink ball a couple of times, it’s pretty much the same, it scruffs a little bit, a little bit hard to shine but usually stays a little bit harder. And when the lights come on it does a little bit more than it does during the day so you know it’s pretty consistent I would say,” Archer said.

Indian team captain Virat Kohli after winning the day-night Test series against Bangladesh, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on 24 November | Photo: PTI
Indian team captain Virat Kohli after winning the day-night Test series against Bangladesh, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on 24 November | Photo: PTI

“It’s a bit different now because when playing in England it’s still late at 10 o’clock, I think that defeats the purpose of doing it, but it’s going to be new for me. Obviously, it’d be nice to actually play with a pink ball.”

Despite the fact that the pink ball aids the pacers more, the pitch is expected to be another turner.

“I think in India spinners play a big role. Don’t think the captain expects you (a pacer) to get a five-for or six-for in the subcontinent, you get two or three and you’ve done your job. I think that is our job,” said Jofra Archer on his role in the side.

Traditionally Test cricket is played with the red ball but in the day/night Test the pink variant comes into play. This is because visibility becomes a factor at night. Sanspareils Greenlands (SG), manufacturers of the cricket ball being used in the ongoing Test series have stressed that “at least some grass should be left on the Motera wicket to enable the pink ball to retain its colour for 80 overs”.

When India played their maiden pink-ball Test under lights at home against Bangladesh two years back, there was a fair bit of grass on the wicket, but then the opposition didn’t have the likes of pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad in their ranks.

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