ICC approves a red to pink ball switch to reduce poor light interference in tests

The ICC has approved Test cricket which would allow a change from the red ball to the pink when play is threatened by poor light, with floodlights used to maximize the chances of completing the overs. The move, approved at the annual board meeting in Ahmedabad, will only be effective if both teams involved agree to it before the start of the series.

The decision was part of a wider set of changes to the playing conditions adopted during the two-day meeting. The ICC Council also approved allowing head coaches to enter the field during the drinks break, gave match umpires access to Hawk-Eye data when considering illegal bowling actions and confirmed the permanent adoption of the leg width test. The board also suspended Cricket Canada for serious breach of its membership obligations and tasked senior ICC officials to oversee the Bangladesh Cricket Board elections.

In a statement, the ICC said it would “try to use the pink ball in Test matches, with the prior agreement of both teams, to maximize play in the event of expected poor light.” It is understood that matches will still start with the traditional red ball, but if the lights go out, floodlights can be switched on and a pink ball introduced to cover overs that might otherwise be lost.

The working model is straightforward. The entire day in the Test is scheduled for 90 overs. If 75 overs have been bowled with a red ball and bad light leaves 15 overs unfinished, those overs may be played with a pink ball under lights, provided both sides have accepted this arrangement before the start of the series. The trial version is designed to address a known issue in Test cricket without reducing the intended volume of play.

Whether this compromise will suit all teams is another matter. Indian players have previously expressed reservations about pink-ball Tests at home and it remains to be seen whether they would agree to partially use the pink ball, which can change the course of a match with its pronounced seam movement. As well as the trial, the ICC Council has also approved research into lighting technology for umpires and match venues to reduce the time they lose in poor light, with the ICC co-funding research and development projects alongside Marylebone Cricket Club.

The board also signed off on a major shift in field support during the tests. In a move that mirrors strategic time-outs in T20 cricket, head coaches or their nominees will now be allowed to consult teams during scheduled drinking intervals. The updated playing conditions also mandate 15-minute intervals in T20Is and require batsmen to be ready when play resumes.

In terms of officiating and regulation, the ICC has opened up Hawk-Eye data to answer officials when they are considering whether to report a suspicious bowling action. The wording approved by the board allows officials to access Hawk-Eye information when reviewing potential reports of illegal bowling action, a change aimed at strengthening scrutiny around pinning. The board also approved the permanent adoption of the broad trial process.

WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS TROPHY MOVED

All of the revised ICC playing conditions will come into effect from 1 October 2026. In women’s cricket, the ICC Women’s Champions Trophy 2027 has been moved from the original June-July period to 14-28 February 2027. It has also approved the pilot Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy 2026 as a 10-man Full Assoamte Assoamte and the previous WC T20 qualifier.

Overall, the Ahmedabad decisions reflect the ICC’s efforts to protect playing time, strengthen officiating tools and reshape parts of the game plan and structure.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

01 June 2026 18:30 IST