Ashes Pink-Ball Future: CA Confirms Tests Despite Joe Root's Criticism

Pink-ball matches have become a regular feature of recent Ashes contests on Australian soil, with the Gabba preparing to host the second Test of the current series under lights from Thursday.

Recently, Root questions the necessity of a pink-ball Test in the Ashes, saying, "A series like this, does it need it? I don't think so."

CA has already pencilled in another, confirming that Melbourne will stage a day-night Test against England in March 2027 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first Test match at the MCG. Beyond that, however, no pink-ball fixtures are yet locked in, including for the next home Ashes in the 2029-30 summer.

Australia remains the strongest backer of the pink-ball Test, having hosted 13 of the world's 24 day-night Tests since the inaugural event in Adelaide in 2015.

"We think for any home summer, including the Ashes, a day-night Test is a great thing. It makes it more accessible for fans, more people can attend, more people can watch. We've seen some really great cricket under lights with the pink ball so we certainly see it continuing," Joel Morrison, CA's executive general manager of events and operations, was quoted as saying by The West Australian.

"We think the recipe of one-day night Test per home summer really works, and we're definitely planning for that to continue," he added.

Morrison said discussions with the Queensland Government over securing the Gabba's place on the Test schedule in the lead-up to its demolition were "progressing very positively."

The ground is set to miss out on a Test next summer, with the December-January window reduced from five matches to four, but it is slated to return to the rotation in 2027-28. With the stadium's post-2032 Olympics demolition now locked in, Cricket Australia remains confident the Gabba will also feature in the 2028-29 summer before redevelopment begins.

"The Gabba's a wonderful place for Test cricket and we'll see that continuing for a number of years to come," he said.

Queensland officials are pushing for the Gabba to regain its traditional role as host of the opening Test from the 2028-29 season. Brisbane last held that honour during the 2021-22 Ashes, with Perth and Adelaide alternating as the curtain-raisers ever since and set to continue doing so until 2027-28.

Cricket Australia has a verbal understanding that the new Brisbane stadium, planned for completion after the 2032 Olympics, will stage the first Test of the 2032-33 summer, provided it is ready in time.

However, Morrison cautioned that no firm decisions have been made about which venues will launch the seasons in the years between. "Nothing's been decided beyond the current contracts that are in place," he said.

- IANS