Pink ball Test News

Australia's day/night Test in Adelaide saw record attendance of 135,012 and massive digital engagement, with over 1.1 million daily users and 208 million video views. 

Australia thrashed India by 10 wickets in the second pink-ball Test, leveling the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 1-1. Dominant performances from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins dismantled India.

Sunil Gavaskar was not pleased with the performance of Indian bowlers on Day 1 of the pink-ball Test against Australia in Adelaide.  

Australia dominated the opening day's play and reached 86/1 at stumps after bowling out India for 180 in their first innings of the pink ball Test. 

After a warm-up win against Prime Minister's XI, Rohit Sharma-led Team India departed Canberra for Adelaide ahead of the second test.

Shubman Gill dispelled all doubts about his thumb injury with a stylish fifty even as skipper Rohit Sharma kept cards close to his chest by coming in at No. 4 during India vs Prime Minister's XI pink-ball warm-up game in Canberra. 

Scott Boland, who didn't play the Perth Test, is now among the top contenders as a replacement for Josh Hazlewood, who was ruled out of the next match owing to a 'low grade left side injury. Ahead of the Adelaide Test, Boland speaks about the Australian dressing room atmosphere.   

India will now have a single day of match practice with the pink ball before playing in Adelaide from December 6. The two-day practice match between India and Prime Minister in Canberra is vital for captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as both missed the first Test in Perth for different reasons.   

The KSCA has also opened additional tickets from Friday to cope with the surge in demand, following their decision to throw open the entire stadium to spectators.

Check AUS vs ENG Dream11 Team Prediction for Australia vs England Ashes second Test.

Mithali Raj’s side also has two debutant in Yastika Bhatia and Meghna Singh. Yastika was impressive in the ODI series in the lead up to this Test match and is expected to bolster the Indian batting with Harmanpreet Kaur missing out due to injury.

England did not play Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood in the first two Tests but have brought them back for the final two games as part of a rotation policy while first-choice keeper Jos Buttler is back home after the opening Test. Former players, especially Kevin Pietersen, have criticised ECB’s thought process, saying the board must play its best players in a big series like this against India. Anderson, 38, himself played the series-opener where he took five wickets in England’s victory.

Stokes said the Test triumph of the English team that toured in 2012 has been an inspiration for the current side. Stokes said nobody has the slightest clue how the track would behave. The outcome of the first two Test was pretty much decided by the team batting first and posting a massive total.

The four-match series between India and England currently stands level at 1-1 and now both teams will lock horns in a Pink-ball Test, beginning on Wednesday (February 24) at the Motera stadium. In the first innings of the second Test, Rohit had gone on to play a knock of 161 as India posted 329 runs on the board. India had scored an emphatic 317-run win against England in the second Test of the ongoing four-match series.

Paceman Mohammed Shami and Navdeep Saini have still not returned to the squad as they haven't regained full fitness. While as predicted earlier, Ravindra Jadeja has been ruled out of the entire series with a fractured thumb. The Indian squad from first two Tests, which beat England by 317 runs in the second Test in Chennai to draw level in the four-match series, have been retained for the last two Tests.

The BCCI is also contemplating allowing spectators in the IPL, which is slated to begin in the second week of April. The second Test between India and England in Chennai marked the return of spectators for an international match in India after COVID-19 outbreak forced a complete shutdown of sporting activity in March last year. The former Indian skipper added that a pink ball Test will be a permanent fixture in every home series.

India became the ninth country to play under lights in the longest format of the game since Australia and New Zealand played the first-ever pink ball match in 2015. 

Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq is not in favor of playing all Tests with pink-ball as it will take away the sanctity of the longest format. His remark comes as various former cricketers including Shane Warne, have vouched for using the pink ball in all Test cricket to counter bad light. Only 134.3 overs were bowled in the second England-Pakistan Test with play constantly being hampered by rain and bad light

India is scheduled to play Australia in December, with the second Test being a day-night fixture in Adelaide from December 11. 

In November 2019, India became the ninth country in the world to play Day-Night Test when they battled it out in the second match against Bangladesh under-lights with a pink ball at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.