24 day-night Tests have been played across genders so far. Australia have led the way, hosting 14 of those, seven of which have been played at the Adelaide Oval. Based on how those seven games have gone, here's what to expect from the eighth, which starts on Friday (December 6).

This is Australia's territory

Up until January 2024, Australia had won each of the 11 day-night Tests they had played. Their first defeat, against an inspired West Indies side in Brisbane, was by eight runs.

In Adelaide, they still hold a 100 per cent record, with the closest margin of victory being the three-wicket win in the very first day-night Test ever played. The six other results include four victories with margins of 120-plus runs and two with margins of seven-plus wickets. Australia don't lose pink-ball Tests at the Adelaide Oval.

But then, they didn't lose any Test at the Optus Stadium either until ten days back. Or any Test at the Gabba for three decades, for that matter, before India broke those streaks. Despite Australia's current struggles and injury concerns, though, it would be a hell of an effort if India break another.

Australian players in pink-ball Tests in Adelaide

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The twilight period - when is it, what is it?

Twilight period becomes a buzzword every time a day-night Test comes along. While it's clear that this is the time when the transition from natural to artificial light takes place, at what point of the day will it exactly occur and how will it affect the game?

Sunset in Adelaide for the first three days of the Test will be between 8:19pm-8:21pm local time. The second session ends at 7:10 pm, followed by a 20-minute break before the final session starts at 7:30. In the previous day-night Test in Adelaide (which started on December 8 - two days off from the December 6 start for the upcoming game), artificial lights started to switch on around the 7pm mark, just before the tea interval. A couple of overs into the final session, artificial lights would completely take over, which is what you can expect this time as well.

The general perception is that this is the toughest period for batting, primarily due to the challenge of adapting the eyes to the changing light. “It’s definitely a bit challenging as the weather and light change suddenly. You need to be extra cautious and focused, constantly talking to yourself. All batters are aware of these challenges," said Rohit Sharma about batting through the twilight period the last time India were in Adelaide to play a day-night Test.

Many also believe that the pink ball starts moving more during this period and under lights. "I have heard that the ball swings a lot under the lights but I haven't yet bowled with it under lights," said Mohammed Siraj after India's warm-up game in Canberra two days back. However, there's not much substance to those claims.

Dr Rabindra Mehta, a NASA aerodynamic scientist also well-known for his work on explaining the mechanics behind swing bowling, had rubbished theories that the pink ball swings more under lights. "All the other perceptions of the pink ball I believe are just plain rubbish, including this theory that it swings more during the twilight session," he told the Indian Express after India's previous pink-ball Test in Adelaide.

Also read: Who is next in line for Australia's ageing Test team?

Is there no difference between the pink and red balls then?

There is. The pink ball has an extra coating of lacquer intended to improve visibility and prevent discolouration for longer periods. Mehta explains that this extra layer can help fielding sides get a bit more swing initially when the ball is new.

Another important difference is the reaction times available as a batter. Cheteshwar Pujara, who has played three of the four pink-ball Tests India have played so far, explained that the extra lacquer on the ball makes it skid quicker than the red ball, forcing batters to be on their toes, quite literally: "With pink ball, you need a little more reaction time. You have to speed up your footwork. The ball skids and comes quickly. So, there is a little less time than with the red ball. You will have to make some adjustments there."

Also read: Gill fit, Rohit in the middle order? Five Takeaways from India's pink-ball tour game

The first session might be tougher than the third

Contrary to popular belief, the third session hasn't been the best period for bowlers. In the last three pink-ball games at the Adelaide Oval, the first session has produced only 22 runs per wicket, three less than the third session. The second session, quite clearly, has been the best for batting, averaging 33 runs per wicket.

Along with averages, scoring rates have also been the slowest in the first session, with runs coming at 2.75 rpo in the last three games here. The corresponding numbers for the second and third sessions read 3.08 and 3.15 respectively.

Session-wise batting averages across the last three day-night Tests in Adelaide

Cheeky declarations

On the first day of the 2016 day-night Test in Adelaide, Faf du Plessis declared South Africa's innings while he was batting with No.11 Tabraiz Shamsi to put Australia in under lights. The Australian openers negotiated the 12-over period without the loss of any wickets before cashing in on the second day.

Forcing situations to put the opposition in to bat under lights will be a tempting proposition, but evidence suggests there's no more benefit of giving the opposition a half-an-hour spell before close of play with the pink ball than there is with the red ball.

If something like this has to be done, the ideal time would be just before the tea interval, when artificial lights start taking effect, as the changing conditions and the extra movement with the new ball will pose a double threat to the batting side.

Cash in on day one

Instead of run-scoring getting progressively more difficult as the day progresses, it has got more difficult as days have progressed in pink-ball Tests in Adelaide. In the last three day-night Tests there, a wicket has cost 71 runs on the first day, with averages dropping to 23, 23, 15, and 24 on the second, third, fourth, and fifth days respectively. The mantra should be simple. Bat first, bat big.

Does spin have any role to play?

Overall, spinners average 38.5 in day-night Tests in Adelaide as compared to the pacers' average of 27. But the split between Australia's spinners (read: Nathan Lyon) and opposition spinners is stark. Australia's spinners average 24.35 while their counterparts have only taken a wicket every 60 runs.

R Ashwin is the only opposition spinner to have taken more than two wickets in an innings, having taken 4-55 the last time India were here. Going by how the tourists have shaped up so far, he doesn't seem to be in contention for a spot in the XI at the moment, but India would do well to refrain themselves from falling in the trap of going with an all-pace attack.

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