ICC moots red to pink ball switch during Tests

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is contemplating major changes to the playing conditions across red-ball, white-ball and pink-ball cricket, including the possibility of using different coloured balls in the same format. The changes, amendments and addendums to the playing conditions are currently under discussion and could come into effect soon, subject to approval by the ICC Board at its meeting in Ahmedabad on May 30.

Among the proposed changes is allowing the head coach to enter the field during drinks breaks. The amendment is aimed primarily at ODI cricket, where currently only substitute players are permitted to enter the field of play. "Any player taking drinks onto the field shall be dressed in proper cricket attire," states the existing clause in the playing conditions.

Going forward, the head coach, too, will be allowed to enter the field during drinks breaks. It is, however, not clear whether the head coach will also be required to wear the team jersey. In ODI cricket, two drinks breaks per innings are permitted, each scheduled one hour and 10 minutes apart. In T20Is, the head coach is already allowed to consult with on-field players during drinks breaks for tactical reasons.

The ICC also plans to reduce the time of the innings break to 15 minutes in T20Is. The existing playing condition states: "There shall be a 20-minute interval between innings, taken from the call of Time before the interval until the call of Play on resumption after the interval." Going forward, teams will effectively have five minutes less to relax, regroup and strategise for the second innings.

Yet another proposed addition is giving on-field umpires access to HawkEye data to check bowlers for illegal actions during matches. How exactly the process will play out remains to be seen, but the ICC appears determined to crack down on bowlers with suspect actions.

Perhaps the most significant amendment being contemplated is the possibility of switching from the red ball to the pink ball during a conventional Test match. It is understood that teams may be permitted to use the pink ball, if both sides agree, in the event of weather interruptions and continue under lights.

The finer points of the proposed change are still unclear. It will be interesting to see how the transition from the red ball to the pink ball is managed during the course of a match. The operative phrase here, as mentioned earlier, is 'mutual consent', which needs to be obtained before the start of the series. Cricbuzz understands that the rules will come into force from October 1.

These proposed changes were discussed during the ICC Chief Executives Committee (CEC) meeting held virtually on Thursday, with Sourav Ganguly, the head of the ICC Cricket Committee, among the participants. Cricbuzz has reached out to the ICC.

Click here to read article