Playing during twilight will be challenging: Vettori

Bangladesh's spin bowling consultant Daniel Vettori conceded that early sunset in Kolkata could pose a massive challenge for his team's batsmen during the twilight hours of the upcoming historic Day/Night Test against India starting on Friday.

While a handful of first team players from India have played pink-ball game in domestic cricket, Bangladesh's only experience with the pink ball was a one-off Day/Night four-day match in 2013 but none of the current team players were part of that fixture.

"I think the pink ball is relatively normal in the day, the challenge will be how much of the Test is played under lights. Obviously, the sun sets quite early here. I think 4:30 pm. That will be the time we will see the pink ball come into play," the former New Zealand captain said.

Vettori has not been a part of any Day/Night Test venture but from the experience he feels batting during twilight period will be challenging.

"My experience is only from watching on TV and it seems to do a little bit more during twilight dusk. So I think that's going to be a big sighting period of the Test match. That'll be the period of the Test the teams will try to do technically a few different things. I think that the final one and a half session would be very interesting."

With the pink ball expected to help seamers more, Indian captain Virat Kohli is expecting complete his 12th straight home series win with ease.

Vettori however said Bangladesh pacers are equally excited with the team boasting leftarm pacer Mustafizur Rahman who sat out in Indore.

"All fast bowlers are really excited. Coming to grips with the balls, I think the SG pink ball is slightly a bit different. Most guys have limited experience of Kookaburra ones. I think there's a lot of excitement and optimism around."

Vettori did not leave spinners out of the talk and said that they will also play a major role in the game.

"I still think spin bowlers play a big part in the nature of the game. In the first two sessions, spinners could really be important. Both teams played two spinners in the last game. So they are important for the makeup of both sides. I don't see teams going too far away from them because in a majority of Tests spinners are required at some stage of the game," Vettori said.

"Indians have always been dominating against overseas spinners. Particularly in the last three or four years, any spinner that has come to this part of the world has been put under a lot of pressure. That's through the nature of wickets and the skills Indian batsman have," he added.