The pink Test is going to be the latest chapter in the history of Indian cricket. Credit goes to former captain Sourav Ganguly under whom the BCCI plunged to take such a step, seven years after the ICC approved the format to revive interest in Tests.
Coming to the 2-match series, Kohli & his men are riding high with an astonishing Test record at home. They thrashed Bangladesh by an innings and 131 runs in Indore, ending the game in the third day itself.
The menacing pace attack of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav along with the blazing form of the new-found opening duo -- Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal -- has been the story of the season in Indian cricket.
The pacers took 14 wickets in Indore and none of them looks like they would need the additional movement or help from the pink ball to wreak havoc at the Eden Gardens. They are hot favourites to walk away with another clean-sweep against a side which lost to Test newcomers Afghanistan in their last outing.
To add to their woes, all-rounder Shakib-al-Hasan, arguably Bangladesh's finest cricketer of all time, was handed a two-year ban by the ICC for failing to report corrupt approaches just before the India tour, while players travelled in the backdrop of a rift with the cricket board.
The challenge for the players would be when the dew comes in to play after the sun sets early and it remains to be seen how both the teams and the groundsmen cope with the pink ball. Also, The twilight zone will be an interesting challenge for the Indian batters, especially Kohli who has no pink ball experience at any level.
The pink ball generally favours the pacers and one of Mustafizur Rahman and Al-Amin Hossain is expected to get a look in. The pitch at Eden has more than a greenish tinge and is expected to offer extra bounce which has been the case for the last couple of years.
Squads
India: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant
Bangladesh: Shadman Islam, Imrul Kayes, Mominul Haque (c), Liton Das, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Mohammad Mithun, Mossadek Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraj, Taijul Islam, Naeem Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Al Amin Hossain, Ebadot Hossain.