Pink Ball in Cricket: How It Differs from Red and White Balls
The pink ball is used in day-night Test matches — it is more visible under floodlights than the traditional red ball. The pink ball behaves differently to both the red ball (used in day Tests) and the white ball (used in limited-overs cricket), with different swing characteristics, lacquer coating durability, and deterioration patterns. Understanding the pink ball's properties explains the specific tactical adjustments teams make in day-night Tests.
Why three ball colours: cricket uses three ball colours depending on the format and playing conditions. Red ball: used in Test cricket under natural daylight; the red dye is absorbed into the leather and provides good visibility in natural light but becomes difficult to see under artificial lighting as the lacquer wears off. White ball: used in ODIs and T20s under daylight or floodlights; white is more visible than red under floodlights but deteriorates quickly (which is why two new white balls are used simultaneously in ODI cricket, one from each end). Pink ball: introduced for day-night Tests to be visible under floodlights while retaining the Test match characteristics (seam movement, swing) of the red ball for longer.
Pink Ball Swing and Seam
Pink ball swing and seam characteristics: the pink ball swings more than the red ball in the early overs — particularly under floodlights in the first and second sessions of a day-night Test (the evening sessions, which are played under lights). The pink ball's lacquer coating holds for longer than the red ball's, maintaining the new-ball swing for more overs. The pink ball deteriorates differently to the red ball — around overs 30-40, many bowlers report the pink ball going 'soft' and losing both swing and seam movement more abruptly than the red ball does. This creates a distinctive tactical pattern in day-night Tests: the most swing-friendly period is the first 20-30 overs under lights; the middle period (30-60 overs) can be relatively flat; and the old pink ball (60+ overs) rarely reverses swing to the same degree as an old red ball.
Dew and Floodlight Effect
Dew and the pink ball: dew falling on the outfield and pitch in the evening sessions of a day-night Test affects the pink ball more visibly than dew affects the red ball in day Tests. Dew on the pink ball reduces grip for fielders (affecting throwing accuracy and catching), reduces the bowler's ability to hold the ball correctly for swing (the seam becomes wet and slippery), and makes the outfield faster (balls reach the boundary more quickly). In high-humidity cricket climates (Dhaka, Colombo, Dubai), dew in the evening sessions can make the pink ball almost uncontrollable for bowlers — the team batting in the final sessions under dew conditions gains a significant advantage. This is why the toss in day-night Tests is considered even more important than in standard Tests — the winning captain can choose to bat in the daytime (avoiding dew) and bowl in the evening when the ball is newer and swing is more pronounced before dew sets in.
Visibility and Manufacturing
Pink ball manufacturing: the pink ball is manufactured by the same companies as the red and white balls (Dukes in England, Kookaburra in Australia/Asia, SG in India) but with a different dyeing process. The pink dye is applied in multiple lacquer coats over the leather, and the seam stitching is coloured black (not the traditional red of the red ball's seam) to provide contrast for visibility. The challenge: no pink dye achieves exactly the same visibility characteristics under all lighting conditions. Early pink balls (pre-2015) were found to be too dark under some lighting systems; the current formulation is brighter but still not as visible as the white ball. Batsmen and fielders must adjust to tracking a pink ball under floodlights — the trajectory appears differently than a red ball in daylight because the lighting creates different shadow patterns.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a pink ball used in cricket?
A pink ball is used in day-night Test cricket because it is more visible under floodlights than the traditional red ball. When Test cricket was extended into the evening with floodlit sessions, the red ball proved difficult to see under artificial lighting as it aged and the lacquer wore off. The pink ball uses a brighter dye that maintains visibility under floodlights for longer. The pink ball was introduced to expand Test cricket's appeal by allowing evening sessions under lights (attracting working spectators who can't attend daytime Tests) while maintaining the Test match characteristics of seam and swing bowling. Australia and New Zealand played the first day-night Test with a pink ball in November 2015 at Adelaide Oval.
How does the pink ball behave differently from the red ball?
The pink ball behaves differently from the red ball in several ways: (1) Swing duration — the pink ball tends to swing more consistently through its first 30-35 overs under floodlights; the red ball's swing can be less predictable in the same period; (2) Deterioration rate — the pink ball's lacquer holds for longer than the red ball's but then deteriorates more abruptly around overs 30-40; the red ball deteriorates more gradually; (3) Reverse swing — the pink ball rarely reverses swing to the same degree as an old red ball; teams cannot use the pink ball as a reverse swing weapon as effectively as an older red ball; (4) Dew impact — dew in evening sessions affects the pink ball's grip and seam more visibly than dew affects the red ball, because the pink lacquer becomes slippery when wet.
What is the toss advantage in a day-night Test?
In a day-night Test, the toss winner typically elects to bat in the afternoon session (when conditions are more benign — natural light, no dew) and allow their bowlers to bowl in the evening session (when the new ball swings under floodlights and dew makes batting harder). If the team wins the toss and bats first, they face the bowling attack in the relatively easier afternoon conditions and can set a large total; then their bowlers attack the opposition in the evening with a new ball and dew conditions working against the opposition. The advantage varies by venue: in Adelaide (low humidity, minimal dew), the toss advantage is less pronounced; in Dubai or Dhaka (high humidity, heavy dew), the toss winner's choice to bowl in the afternoon or bat in the evening can be worth 40-60 runs in terms of conditions advantage.