Pink ball in Day Tests? Former South African pacer opines
What's the story
Former South African cricketer Shaun Pollock has proposed the use of pink balls in traditional daytime Test matches. The idea is to minimize playing time loss due to bad light. The suggestion comes after weather interruptions disrupted the first Test between South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead, Durban. Several overs were lost in the first three days due to this.
Trial approval
ICC's trial to use pink balls in day tests
The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently approved a trial to use pink balls in daytime Test matches.
However, both captains need to agree on the arrangement before the game starts.
Once agreed upon, the pink ball must be used throughout the match without any option of reverting to the traditional red ball.
Advocacy
Pollock advocates for pink balls in day tests
Pollock has strongly advocated for the use of pink balls in daytime Tests, especially when bad light threatens to cut into valuable playing time.
Speaking on Fox Sports, he said, "I just believed we should have used the pink ball for the day game."
The former cricketer emphasized that using a red ball could prevent Test cricket from being played past bad light time, but with a pink one, it could continue.
Agreement challenge
Can teams agree to change?
Pollock raised doubts about whether teams would agree to the change when stakes are high.
He said, "If this was a final or a game where you had to win to enter the World Test Championship final and it was 1-all in the series, and Australia was playing South Africa and you tell them, 'Let's use the pink ball because we are going to lose 100 overs to bad light' do you think they would agree or not agree?"
Coaching perspective
South Africa's assistant coach backs red ball
On the other hand, South Africa's senior assistant coach Ashwell Prince has backed the traditional red ball for daytime Tests.
He said, "For me, outside of a day-night Test, it has got to be a red ball."
Prince also highlighted that some nations have played more pink-ball cricket than others, and getting both captains to agree on this would be challenging due to their lack of experience with it.