Without these test events, the introduction of any new concept like pink ball in cricket might not have had such impact. This change is particularly remarkable during The Ashes series. In 2015, International Cricket Council (ICC) adopted day-night Tests with the pink ball. Second, they wanted to increase audience participation and improve ways people could experience the event on-screen. A handful of day-night matches escaped from the trial labs in the late 2000s. These groundbreaking demos made the matches an institution in international cricket.
Historically, The Ashes series have used the red ball, given its long-standing tradition back to when the series began in 1882. This traditional red ball is now used in every match played entirely during the day, upholding a historic cricketing tradition. Yet, the ICC’s efforts to introduce day-night Tests is one step in the right direction towards recognizing and embracing changes in viewing habits, particularly when played under floodlights. The bright, bubblegum-pink ball is fun for any game, day, or night. Its reflective orange color increases day and night visibility, so it’s hard to miss.
The pink ball has proven to be a huge success in the day and night Test match series. It has yet to have been used in an Ashes Test in England. The only day-night Test ever played in England was the one against the West Indies at Edgbaston in 2017. In that game, England won by an innings and 209 runs. Australia has adopted the pink ball even more fervently, if mainly in the context of The Ashes series. In total, three Ashes Tests have used the pink ball: one during the 2017-18 series and two more in the 2021-22 series. Australia have already been victorious in all these encounters, further cementing their stranglehold on this format.
The pink ball will be used in the second Test of that 2025-26 Ashes series, which starts in Brisbane from December 4-8. The third Test between England and South Africa this summer will be a historic occasion for English cricket. It would be the first time a pink-ball Ashes Test is held on English soil.
The ICC’s strategy behind the introduction of day-night Tests with the pink ball reflects a broader commitment to making cricket more accessible and appealing to fans. By getting ahead of the curve and keeping pace with evolving tastes, they’re working to pull in bigger audiences for games that otherwise wouldn’t receive the attention.
Leave a Reply