ICC Board approves trailing use of pink balls in Tests to tackle bad light, legside wides; consultation with head coach during drinks break
Ahmedabad, June 1
The International Cricket Council has approved trialling the use of a pink ball in all Test matches so that play may not be affected by bad light, and it can continue under lights while also researching lighting technology for match officials and venues to reduce lost play due to poor light. The meeting also approved match officials to use Hawk-Eye data while deciding on illegal bowling actions.
In the ICC Board meetings held in Ahmedabad on Sunday, the ICC also decided to allow the head-coach or a designated representative to consult the teams during scheduled drinks intervals, mandate 15-minute intervals in T20I matches, and require batters to be ready at the resumption of play.
In a statement released on Monday, the ICC said the decisions are aimed at enhancing global competition structures and fostering innovation in the game.
The ICC Board has approved several recommendations from the Chief Executives Committee, including trialling the use of a pink ball in Test Matches, with prior agreement from both teams, to maximise play in case of anticipated bad light.
The recommendation to undertake research on lighting technology for match officials and venues to reduce lost play due to poor light, with ICC co-funding R&D projects alongside Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). It has also accepted the Chief Executives Committee's suggestion for enabling match officials to access Hawk-Eye data when considering reporting an illegal bowling action.
The ICC Board also approved updates to the Playing Conditions to allow head coaches or their designees to consult with teams during scheduled drinks intervals. It has also made it mandatory to have 15-minute intervals in T20I matches and requires batters to be ready at the resumption of play.
The ICC has also approved permanent adoption of the legside wides trial and all remaining MCC Laws of Cricket changes effective 1 October 2026.
Updates to the Classification of Official Cricket, confirming that teams in the CWC Challenge League remain eligible to play other List A limited overs matches during each Challenge League tournament cycle, were also approved.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting development from the ICC meeting in Ahmedabad. The coach consultation during drinks is actually a smart tactical addition—brings a bit of football-like strategy into cricket. But I do worry about the 15-minute mandatory intervals in T20Is. It's already a fast format, do we really need more pauses? That said, anything that reduces time-wasting by batters is welcome. 👍
As someone who's watched countless Tests in Bangalore where evening dew and bad light forced early finishes, I welcome the pink ball trial. Hope it works well and doesn't compromise the integrity of Test cricket. Legside wides trial being made permanent is also a good move—it was confusing how umpires judged it before. Keeps the game honest! ⚡
A mixed bag here. The pink ball for bad light is a solid innovation that could save Test cricket from dying out in certain conditions. But I'm skeptical about coaches talking to teams during drinks—cricket is a captain's game and this undermines their authority a bit. That said, the ICC is clearly trying to modernize, and I respect the intent. Let's see how it plays out in practice. 🤔
ICC finally using brains! Pink ball for bad light is perfect for Asian conditions where dust storms or haze often stop play. Also, requiring batters to be ready at resumption—this should have been done years ago! Too much time wasted by batters adjusting gloves and helmets unnecessarily. Legside wide trial being permanent is also a good decision. Indian domestic cricket already uses it effectively. 🇮🇳
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