The International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved a trial in test cricket to switch from red ball to pink ball if a Test is set to be affected by rain or bad light. The decision has led to mix reactions but India head coach Gautam Gambhir ‘loves that’. Ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan which is not part of the current World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle, Gambhir said that he loves the idea as one Test can decide who reaches the final. He labelled it as a ‘proactive move’ by the apex cricket board. He also hopes that the other teams approach it in a positive opener and approve the ball switch if the conditions demand it.
"I love that because I've always believed that if there's an opportunity to get a result, you should always have that opportunity. Imagine if you are playing the last Test match before the World Test Championship final and you have the chance to win that Test match to qualify, but because of bad light, it's not happening. So I'm all for it," Gambhir said in the pre-match press conference on June 5.
"If there's an opportunity to get the result, if both teams agree to it... I know it could be a little unfair and difficult for the players, but imagine working hard for two years and the last Test match before the World Test Championship final, if you don't play five days because of bad light, how unfair that could be. So I think it's a proactive move, it's a positive move, and, hopefully, the teams will start taking it in a positive way," he added.
Former South Africa batter advised against it
Earlier, former South Africa cricketer Rassie van der Dussen had criticised the move. He wondered who makes these decisions at the ICC. The ex-Proteas captain doesn’t just find the red-to-pink ball-switch as problematic but wants pink-ball/day-night Tests to be scrapped off as well.
India 6th on WTC points table
While WTC points are not on offer in New Chandigarh, India are currently placed sixth on the points table with a win percentage of 48.15. The historic two-Test series whitewash against South Africa made a huge dent on their chances of reaching the final. India's next WTC Test series is on Sri Lanka soil, followed by New Zealand tour and then Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home.