What is a day-night Test match? Impact explained for Australia and England in Ashes 2025/26
It's advantage Australia...
Australia take a 1-0 lead into the 2nd Test of the Ashes 2025/26 at the Gabba after England's painful defeat in the opener at Perth.
Ben Stokes's side will look to bounce back in Brisbane but the odds are against them. The tourists have won just four Tests in 92 years at 'the Gabbatoir' – so called because it has become a fortress for the Aussies – and not since 1986.
In a change to tradition, the Gabba will host a day-night Test. So, how does that differ from a normal Test? And what impact could that have for England and Australia?
RadioTimes.com brings you all the details about day-night matches ahead of the 2nd Test of the Ashes series 2025/26.
What is a day-night Test match?
While play across the five days of a normal Test match runs from the morning (around 11am) to early evening (around 6:30pm), a day-night Test starts in the afternoon (around 2pm) and finishes later in the evening (around 10pm). The three sessions and breaks in play remain the same length.
For fans in the UK, play at the 2nd Test at the Gabba will start at 4am. Lunch will be taken at 6am UK time, with tea at 8:40am, and stumps will be 11am, unless an extra half hour is taken.
As a result, it starts in daylight and finishes under the floodlights. Teams still wear Test whites and a pink ball is used instead of a red ball as it is easier to see under lights.
They were introduced in Test cricket in 2015 in the hope of boosting the popularity of the game by allowing fans to attend after work or school and matches to be broadcast in primetime TV slots.
The 2nd Test of the Ashes 2025/26 between Australia and England will be the 25th day-night Test played.
What difference will it make for England and Australia in the Ashes 2025/26?
The conditions – using a pink ball and playing under floodlights, particularly in the late evening session – are considered tougher for batters and are expected to favour Australia.
The pink ball has an extra layer of lacquer, which means it swings more when it is new but goes dead after 20 or 30 overs, while it can often skid off the pitch and move quicker through the air.
So, why is this good news for the Aussies? Well, put simply, Australia play more day-night Tests than any other nation. They have become a fixture of their schedule and, as a result, the Aussies are better adapted to the conditions.
Australia have thrived in day-night Tests, winning 13 of the 14 they have played, while Mitchell Starc, who terrorised England in Perth, has more wickets with the pink ball than any other bowler (81 at an average of 17.08).
The tourists, meanwhile, have lost five of the seven day-night Tests they have played, including two on past Ashes tours Down Under.
"It makes a lot of difference," TNT Sports pundit and former England bowler Ebony Rainford-Brent told RadioTimes.com about using the pink ball. "It is very different to a conventional red ball. It adds drama, different conditions with the light changes, and a lot of nuances to work with."
Rainford-Brent also highlighted how the change to the schedule for day-night matches can impact the players.
"It's exhausting," she said. "That's the thing that fans might not get their head around.
"Players can feel exhausted after a session, after a day, because of the stimulation. You take a day-night Test and you're going to be wired in the morning anyway because there's a lot going on that you need to mentally prepare for. Then you're starting the game and finishing late.
"Players like Steve Smith talk about never sleeping. Imagine your sleep is disrupted. You're playing the most physically demanding form of the game and you're on constantly. You're not going to get the sleep and rest you need.
"Players are going to be, tactically, trying to work it out. How do they get that rest and sleep? How do they stay switched off long enough in the morning but then switch on at the right time for the game that starts later in the day?
"It's all these sorts of things behind the scenes that the teams will be trying to tweak to get those timings perfect. It's not easy.
"That's the challenge with a day-night Test, just constantly being mentally on with all the stimulation on top of the physical tiredness."
The Ashes 2025/26 TV and live stream coverage
The Ashes will be shown live on TNT Sports.
There are multiple ways to get TNT Sports. If you already have BT Broadband, you can add TNT Sports to your existing contract from just £18 per month. You can add the ‘Big Sport’ package for £40 per month which includes all TNT Sports and 11 Sky Sports channels via a NOW pass.
You can also watch the series on TNT Sports via discovery+ Premium monthly pass without signing up to a contract. Or access TNT Sports via discovery+ on Amazon Prime Video and stream directly to your smart TV.
Regular subscribers can stream every ball on a variety of devices including laptops, smartphones and tablets via the discovery+ app.
discovery+ is the streaming home of TNT Sports, showing events including live Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Premiership Rugby, UFC, Boxing and MotoGP. Learn more here: discoveryplus.com
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