“You’re 4 for 130, at twilight, you can be 8 for 150” – Matthew Hayden underlines challenge of day-night Test ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

Former Australian attacking opener Matthew Hayden has opened up on the challenge of playing the day-night Test match with the pink ball. The second Test between India and Australia at Adelaide will be played under lights in the forthcoming tour.

Meanwhile, India was bundled out for a paltry score of 36 runs in the second innings of the Adelaide Test against Australia and the visitors lost that Test by eight wickets after they were bundled out for their lowest ever Test score.

Australia have played 12 pink ball Test matches at home and have lost a solitary contest, against the West Indies earlier in the year.

Hayden said at the Ceat Cricket Rating awards, “One is a day-night Test match [in Adelaide] – the second Test match. Again, once you get those overhead conditions under that twilight zone, they can be really difficult [to bat on]. I would go as far as to say that the home advantage in Australia has been taken away quite a lot, simply on the basis that if you get the wrong side of a certain session, be that you’re 4 for 130, at twilight, you can be 8 for 150. So there’s no chance to naturally dominate a game.”

On the other hand, both Australia and India have potent pace batteries and Hayden reckons the runs will be the point of difference in the upcoming five-match Test series between two cricketing powerhouses.

“You look at the line-ups, and it’s hard to really tell who’s got the edge. I sense that it’s going to be runs that are going to be the point of difference. So the best need to stand up in this series; runs are going to be at a premium. And I also feel like the structure of the tournament being from the west to the east is a bit of the unique way that the Australian landscape of cricket is going to be played out. It’s usually the other way around. It’s going to be a great summer.”

The opening Test match between India and Australia will be played at Perth from November 22 onwards.