The red ball has been pathetic for so long; replace it with pink-ball for all Tests, calls Shane Warne

Ever since it’s innovation, the pink-ball has been exclusive to the day-night Test event, where the ball has swung well under the lights to trouble the batsmen. On top of that, it has also offered more to the pacers than the traditional red-ball, partly because of the ‘under-lights’ factor. 

However, former Australian spinner and a great of cricket, Shane Warne calls for the pink-ball to replace the red-ball in all Test matches. The leg-spinner also tore apart the legacy of the red-ball, calling it ‘pathetic’ and stated that it goes soft after 25 overs, which makes the matches boring, with the exception of the Dukes ball in England. 

“No more red ball, it doesn’t swing, it doesn’t do anything, goes soft after 25 overs. It has been pathetic for so long now. Except for the Dukes ball in England, it has been rubbish. The pink ball can’t be any worse than what the red ball has been for Test cricket. We haven’t seen swing, we haven’t seen seam. Absolutely nothing. So let’s try the pink ball in Test cricket,” Warne said on Fox Cricket.

Not just that, the leg-spinner also bats for the pink-ball over red-ball because of the crowd-factor. He reckoned that the pink-ball in a Test match offers more of a viewing experience and a spectacle to the fans, who flock to watch the five-day format. Alongside that, he also added that the ICC could look into changing the pink cherry after 60 overs instead of 80 overs. 

“The pink ball, you can actually see the ball easier, crowd can see the ball easier. It generally does more than the red ball and it looks fantastic on TV. So why not use a pink ball the whole time? Maybe change it at 60 overs because it goes soft, but I’d be using the pink ball for every Test match so more of it I would say.”

“I’ve been saying this for the last few years. I believe the pink ball should be used in all Test matches. Day games, not just day-night games,” Warne concluded. 

Currently, India are playing Australia with the pink-ball in the day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval, which also is the country’s second pink-ball encounter in its Test cricketing history.