Muzumdar: Facing pink ball under lights a 'different challenge'

India coach takes heart from performances of debutants Rawal and Satghare despite ten-wicket defeat

India head coach Amol Muzumdar has conceded that facing the pink ball under lights for his batters was "tough" and a "different challenge". But he refused to blame the day-night fixture for India's big defeat against Australia at the WACA ground.

India's hopes of drawing the multi-format series nosedived with totals of just 198 and 149 in the one-off Test as they crashed to a ten-wicket loss inside three days in Australia captain Alyssa Healy's farewell match.

"They were tough conditions. The pink ball was a different challenge," Muzumdar told reporters. "There's no doubt the ball moved quite considerably under lights, but that's the way it is. Got to adjust to the conditions. It was the same for both teams.

"We could have played those two sessions on day one a little differently. If we could have put a good score on the board in the first innings, it would have been a different story."

While their first innings was played through the day sessions on the opening day, India crumbled against rampant seam bowling late on day two as they slumped to 82 for 6 in their second innings to effectively end the contest.

The hefty defeat was India's first in Test cricket since February 2006, ending an unblemished run of nine straight matches.RelatedAustralia give Healy fitting farewell with demolition of India

There had been some belief that perhaps India could have been more competitive if the match was a traditional red-ball affair given Australia just a year ago thumped England by an innings and 122 runs in a day-nighter at the MCG.

Muzumdar believed the pink-ball concept brought "a lot of excitement" to the sport. "Spectators come to watch, maybe after their work in the evening, so you have to consider a lot of things," he said.

The match represented India's return to the format since they beat South Africa in mid-2024, but their appetite has grown for Test cricket after a period in the wilderness.

India had an eight-year absence from the format from 2006-2014 before playing five Tests between 2021-24. They won't be waiting long for their next match in the format with India to play a historic Test against England at Lord's in July.

"Everyone in the dressing room, I can guarantee you that they were looking forward to this pink-ball Test match in Perth. More the merrier," he said. "The talk in the dressing room is that the more Test matches we play, the better it is for the game.

"I always believe that four-day or five-day Test matches in the international cricket calendar is always a healthy sign for cricket."

While India's seasoned campaigners mostly let them down at the WACA, they were left encouraged by the performances of debutants Pratika Rawal, Sayali Satghare, Kranti Gaud and Kashvee Gautam.

No.3 Rawal played a lone hand on debut with 63 off 137 balls in the second innings. Satghare was at times unplayable with the pink ball and finished with 4-50 off 18.2 overs in Australia's first innings, including a maiden wicket of opener Georgia Voll with a massive inswinger that knocked back the leg stump.

"I thought they were fantastic," Muzumdar said of the four debutants. "Somebody like Pratika showing the guts and determination, getting the half century here at the WACA in the second innings.

"It was really heartening to see all the debutants. The result didn't go our way. But at the same time, we showed a lot of character and heart.

"Bit disappointed with the result, but really happy for the fight that we showed for the last three days. Credit to Australia, they were terrific in this game and outplayed us."