The International Cricket Council has decided to approve a trial of the switch from a red ball to the pink ball ahead of the start of the Day Test match in a bid to mitigate the bad light. This came as part of several recommendations made by the ICC during its Board meeting in Ahmedabad on Sunday, the day of the IPL 2026 final.
The pink balls have been exclusively used in Day-Night Test matches, the first of which was played in November 2015. The Pink-ball Tests were introduced to bring in more spectators after work hours, which also adds to the spice of test cricket.
Meanwhile, the trial to use the pink balls is to allow the teams to play if the light for a red-ball is not optimal, to mitigate the time lost in Test cricket. It has happened several times that all of the 90 overs of a day have not been bowled due to light fading out in the evening. The rule won’t be implemented for the upcoming Test series between England and New Zealand, which kicks off on June 4.ย
Head coaches allowed in drinks break as ICC brings IPL-like rule
Meanwhile, the ICC has also decided to bring in an IPL-like rule, or a T20-like rule as a whole. Under this, the head coaches or designated staff will be allowed to enter the field during drinks break and interact with the players. This will be implemented in the ODIs and the T20Is.ย
The rule has been widely used in T20 cricket, including in the IPL, where coaches head out from the dugouts to instruct the players during the drinks breaks. The rule wasn’t present in international cricket before but will now be part of the white-ball format.
Moreover, the ICC has made the leg-side wide rule permanent. Last year, the International body made a tweak to the leg side wides, stating that the balls passing behind the batters’ legs and between the protecting area won’t be called a wide. “The trial will see a ball that passes the popping crease between the leg stump and the protected area marker not being called a Wide. To help with this, the protected area marker line will be extended to the popping crease and act as a guide for the umpires,” the trial rule read, which has now been made permanent.
Women’s Champions Trophy moved
In another significant move, the ICC has moved the Women’s Champions Trophy window from June-July 2027 to February 2027. The body did not give a reason for the change. The tournament will be the first Women’s Champions Trophy after it was announced for the first time in 2022. Eight teams will be taking part in the tournament that will be played in Sri Lanka, beginning February 14 for a fortnight, with the conclusion on February 28.
ALSO READ |ย Why did ICC suspend Cricket Canada’s membership after board meeting in Ahmedabad?