ICC Pink Ball Trial in Test Matches Tackles Bad Light

ICC – (Web Desk) – The ICC has officially approved the pink ball trial in Test matches to keep games going during bad light. Both teams must agree before a pink ball is used. This is a smart move to avoid unnecessary stoppages.

Red balls are hard to see in fading light. White balls are easier to spot but wear out too quickly for Test cricket. The pink ball sits right in the middle — visible and durable.

Pink balls are already used in day-night Tests under floodlights. Now they may appear in regular daytime Tests too, whenever poor light threatens to halt play. The ICC is also researching better ground lighting to further reduce lost playing time.

ICC chief Jay Shah made the announcement after a board meeting held in Ahmedabad, India. He said the discussions reaffirmed the ICC’s commitment to growing cricket worldwide.

In ODIs, head coaches and their staff can now walk onto the field during drinks breaks. Before this change, only substitute fielders could carry messages to players. This gives teams more direct communication during the game.

T20 matches will also feel slightly quicker. The innings break has been cut from 20 minutes down to 15 minutes, keeping the game sharp and fast-paced for fans.

Finally, on-field umpires will now have access to HawkEye ball-tracking data. This will help them spot bowlers with illegal or suspect actions right during the match, making enforcement faster and fairer.