Uncertainty in sport is always cherished and over the last fortnight it has focused on one inanimate object that will debut at Eden Gardens on Friday afternoon.

The pink SG cricket ball with a prominent black seam, weighing 5.70 ounce, has dominated newspaper columns and grabbed TRPs in TV channels, culminating in the city being painted pink and putting the players in a quandary.

Cricket has always flourished in its propensity to evolve and the adaptability factor could once again be crucial in taking forward this concept of Day-Night Test matches. All, however, are not on the same page.

Virat Kohli prefers it to be a “one-off” thing and not a regular scenario in the cricketing calendar.

The Indian captain’s apprehension probably stems from the fact that the pink ball may not aid reverse swing, a key component of India’s strategy at home. It may not count much against a weak opposition like Bangladesh, but will be of huge significance against stronger sides.

The extra coating of lacquer on the ball coupled with a green wicket and lush outfield will help the ball retain its shine and colour for longer periods. Add to it the dew factor and the concept of reverse swing will take a serious beating.

A wet ball will also affect the spinners’ effectiveness. An evaluation of how the ball behaves will help the Board of Control for Cricket in India take stock of the conditions before slotting future games.

Virat didn’t spell out such intricacies during Thursday’s pre-match media conference but did put things in perspective.

“…You are losing out on that nervousness of the first session in the morning. You can bring excitement to Test cricket but you can’t purely make Test cricket based on entertaining people,” he said.

“The entertainment of Test cricket lies in the fact that the batsman is trying to survive the first session, the bowlers trying to set up a batsman; if people don’t respond to that too bad… This can be a one-off, should not be a regular scenario.”

Despite the teams’ leap into an unknown territory, it would be silly to imagine that India wouldn’t call the shots. The pace attack comprising Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav is far too experienced and wily not to adjust their craft according to the needs.

The Bangladesh batsmen haven’t shown the application needed to survive during the opening Test and it would need a miracle to expect them to change gears.

Given the green look on the pitch it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the visitors include an additional pacer in Mustafizur Rahman. The pacers have always thrived more than the spinners in this Day-Night format and it would be prudent to gamble with the left-arm pacer.

In any case Bangladesh have to find a way to stop Mayank Agarwal, who has been in marauding form with 858 runs since his debut in December 2018. Their only hope rests with the pink ball and the law of averages.

But all such tactics could vanish into thin air during the twilight period and once dew sets in. However, one thing is for sure: If there’s one winner even before the Test gets underway, it has got to be Sourav Ganguly.

The Board president’s masterstroke has not only breathed life into an otherwise dead contest, he has also made sure that Test cricket thrives in these changing times.

• Match starts: 1pm.