Why is the pink ball being used in the Ashes 2025/26? Effects and differences explained
England and Australia will be playing with a different ball at the Gabba...
England's decision not to send any of their first-choice batters to a pink-ball warm-up match ahead of the 2nd Test has caused quite a storm.
The tourists have made a nightmare start to the Ashes 2025/26, surrendering a strong position and falling to a dismal defeat inside two days at the series opener in Perth.
They now head to the Gabba – nicknamed 'the Gabbatoir' due to touring teams' struggles at the Brisbane ground – in search of a response.
The 2nd Test will be a day/night match, which means later hours of play, the floodlights on, and the use of a pink ball.
But what is it about the latter that has led the media and many fans to fume at England's decision not to send their struggling batters to play in a warm-up match to adapt to conditions?
RadioTimes.com brings you all the details about the pink ball and the impact it will have in the 2nd Test of the Ashes 2025/26.
Why will a pink ball be used in the 2nd Test of the Ashes 2025/26?
A pink ball will be used in the 2nd Test of the Ashes 2025/26 at the Gabba, in Brisbane, because it is a day/night match, and they offer better visibility than red balls under floodlights.
Day/night matches start in the afternoon and play into the evening, which means they are played during daylight and under floodlights.
Red balls, which are traditionally used in Test cricket, are difficult to see under floodlights and so a pink alternative has been used in day/night matches in the longer form of the game since 2015.
While the pink ball is made up of mostly the same materials and must follow the same weight, diameter, and circumference specifications as the red ball, it does behave differently.
What difference will the pink ball make?
The general consensus is that the pink ball is harder for batters to face, and it could prove advantageous for Australia at the Gabba.
The extra layer of lacquer – the shiny polish that coats the outside of the ball – that is applied to it after painting to ensure it keeps its colour, as well as a less prominent seam, means it often swings more and moves around for longer than the red ball, which is darkened with wax rather than painted.
The additional lacquer also means it often skids more off the surface and moves faster through the air, which can cause problems for batters and fielders in close positions, such as the slips.
The pink ball can be particularly difficult to face during the twilight hours, when the lights are on and batters are adapting to the change in conditions.
As day/night Tests have become a fixture of the calendar in Australia, the Aussies are better adapted to using the pink ball.
Bowlers like Mitchell Starc, who tore through England in Perth, have become particularly dangerous with it, while Australia boast an impressive record in pink ball matches – winning 13 of the 14 day/night Tests they have played.
England, meanwhile, have lost five of their seven day/night matches, including two Ashes defeats.
"It makes a lot of difference," TNT Sports pundit and former England bowler Ebony Rainford-Brent told RadioTimes.com. "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."
She explained: "It's when the ball comes under the lights in those later sessions, you've got a new ball and it starts to move. The reality is that the conditions can just change all of a sudden, the ball may be moving around for a bowler and then, very quickly, can just stop.
"It's hard for England, who don't play day/night Tests regularly. Australia have it as a feature. They've worked out how that formula works for them.
"Equally, a batter can come in and face the ball under lights and it's moving around, then the ball goes dead and it's really hard to score.
"Navigating that takes a bit of skill. I think it's going to be important for England to understand that tactically. Our bowlers may have to change things up.
"Someone like Jofra Archer might make quite good use of those conditions because he may be able to get the ball talking under the lights.
"We're going to need to be strategic in working out what is going on with the ball. Then if it goes dead, try and find a way to continue to be aggressive."
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.
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