Overview
- The ICC board has approved a trial that permits a Test to start with the traditional red ball and switch to a pink ball under floodlights if poor natural light threatens play, but the change is voluntary and must be agreed by both teams before the match.
- India head coach Gautam Gambhir publicly endorsed the move at a pre‑match press conference on Friday, June 5, saying the option protects teams’ chances of achieving a result in matches that could affect World Test Championship qualification.
- Key operational details remain unresolved: the ICC and the MCC will study stadium lighting and pink‑ball behaviour under artificial lights, and reports name October 1 as a target date for phasing in some playing‑condition changes.
- Critics warn the swap could be unfair because red and pink balls behave differently and players must adapt mid‑match, a concern voiced by some former players and commentators in recent coverage.
- The pink‑ball trial is part of a package of changes approved after CEC and board discussions in Ahmedabad that also includes limited Hawk‑Eye access for umpires and other trials intended to reduce lost playing time at venues with early sunsets.