A fresh ball and a different setting could change the course of the Ashes. After a heavy defeat in Perth with a traditional red Kookaburra, Ben Stokes’ England head to Brisbane for a pink-ball day-night Test at The Gabba, starting Thursday (2pm local, 4am UK).
Why use the pink ball?
The day-night format was introduced to attract bigger crowds by moving part of play under lights. Its use in an Ashes game provokes mixed views — even some England figures have questioned it — but day-night Tests are now a regular feature of Australian summers and create added tactical layers to the series.
England’s pink-ball record
England have found the format difficult. They won their first pink-ball Test at Edgbaston in 2017 and their most recent in Tauranga against New Zealand in 2023, but suffered five straight defeats between those victories, including heavy losses in Adelaide (2017 and 2021) and a 146-run reverse in Hobart in 2021/22. Other notable failures include an embarrassing 58 all out in Auckland (2018) and a defeat in Ahmedabad (2021) when a seam-heavy attack struggled on a turning track.
Australia’s dominance in night Tests
Australia are the benchmark under lights: 13 wins from 14 day-night Tests. Their sole loss came at the Gabba to West Indies in January 2024, when Shamar Joseph ran through them — a reminder that upsets can happen, but overall Australian experience in pink-ball cricket is a major advantage. Marnus Labuschagne’s consistency in these matches (averaging about 63.86) underlines the hosts’ familiarity with the format.
How conditions typically change
Pink-ball Tests usually see bowlers become more potent as daylight fades — the twilight period and the artificial lights often enhance swing and seam. With a 2pm start in Brisbane, play should divide roughly equally between day and night. Former seamer Stuart Broad has suggested batting first if you win the toss to take advantage of the best batting conditions before the lights bring added movement. Teams might also deploy pinch-hitters to score quickly while conditions favour batters.
Players to watch in pink-ball cricket
– Mitchell Starc: The outstanding pink-ball operator, with 81 wickets in 14 day-night Tests at an average around 17. His left-arm pace, late swing and raw speed are particularly troublesome under lights — he once took 6-9 in the Caribbean.
– Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins: Lyon has 43 pink-ball wickets and Cummins matches that tally, showing spin and pace leadership both matter at night.
– Marnus Labuschagne: The leading run-scorer in day-nighters with 958 runs in nine matches (four hundreds, four fifties).
– Steve Smith and Travis Head: Smith has 815 pink-ball runs; Head has 719 in 10 games and can be explosive at the top — his 123 off 83 balls in Perth, including a rapid hundred, illustrated that impact.
– Joe Root: England’s top pink-ball run-scorer with 501 runs in seven matches.
Selection questions for England
England used an all-seam attack in Perth. Given the way the pink ball can move under lights and Australia’s successful use of Nathan Lyon, selectors may consider adding a spinner for Brisbane — Shoaib Bashir or the batting-all-rounder Will Jacks are the likeliest options, with Jacks offering extra batting depth and hitting ability.
Match routine and small details
Session lengths remain the same as a daytime Test (two-hour sessions with a 40-minute interval after the first two hours and a 20-minute break after the next two), but the named pauses change to reflect evening play (dinner and tea). Small things can also matter: Steve Smith has been wearing “eye blacks” in the nets to cut glare under lights — Labuschagne joked it might be placebo, but whatever helps is worth trying.
Ashes schedule (UK times)
– 1st Test, Perth (Nov 21-25): Australia won by eight wickets.
– 2nd Test (day/night), The Gabba, Brisbane (Dec 4-8): 4am UK start.
– 3rd Test, Adelaide Oval (Dec 17-21): 11:30pm UK.
– 4th Test, MCG, Melbourne (Dec 25-29): 11:30pm UK.
– 5th Test, SCG, Sydney (Jan 4-8): 11:30pm UK.
The Gabba offers England a chance to arrest the momentum from Perth, but Australia’s depth of pink-ball experience, the twilight swing factor and key performers such as Starc and Labuschagne make Brisbane a tough assignment.