"It's quite funny, I'm playing the 100th in a pink-ball game": Starc reflects on his 100th test

Ahead of his 100th Test of his career, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc said it's quite funny that he's playing his 100th test match in a pink-ball game, reported ESPNcricinfo. Starc will become the 16th Aussie and second pacer from his country when he takes to the field in Kingston, Jamaica, for the third Test against the West Indies, which will kickstart from July 13 onwards.

"I don't think it's poetic, but it's quite funny that I'm playing [the] 100th in a pink-ball game," Starc said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

This occasion could become even more special if he takes five more wickets, taking him to 400 Test wickets, becoming only the fourth bowler after Shane Warne (708 in 145 Tests), Glenn McGrath (563 in 124 matches), and Nathan Lyon (562 in 139 Tests) and overall the second pacer.

Starc summarised the unfamiliarity of the Australian team with the pink Dukes ball, highlighting that it's a new experience for them. He mentioned that Usman Khawaja is the only player with prior experience using a pink Dukes ball, which he played in a county game that lasted only a day and a half.

"There might be a few things going on at night with the pink Dukes. It's a new one for us as a group. I think Usman [Khawaja] is the only one who's played with a pink Dukes, and it was an English Dukes, and he said the county game went for a day-and-a-half."

The Caribbean had only hosted one previous day-night Test when Sri Lanka played in Barbados in 2018. Australia have won 12 of their 13 day-night Tests, the only defeat being against West Indies at the Gabba last year, and have played comfortably the most given that every home summer features a pink-ball game.

After the conclusion of the Test series, the action will shift to white-ball cricket, with the West Indies squaring off against Australia in five T20Is from July 20 to July 28. (ANI)