Bad-light debate: Australia coach Andrew McDonald makes stance clear on using pink-ball in daytime Tests originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Australia head coach Andrew McDonald said after the Durban Test that he is against using a pink ball in daytime Tests.
- McDonald's stance suggests Australia were not pushing for a pink ball in Durban either, matching South Africa's sentiment.
- Former skipper Shaun Pollock has argued that a pink ball would have given 45 more overs of Test cricket in Durban on a single day.
Australia and South Africa both pass on the pink ball as bad light hit Durban Test
Bad light was perhaps the biggest talking point of the opening Test between South Africa and Australia at Kingsmead. The Aussies won by 214 runs earlier this week but the questions remain. Only 65 overs were bowled on the first day with the okay ended early again on Day 2 with South Africa on 27/1 in reply to Australia's 390. A Test day carries a minimum of 90 overs, the first day alone was 25 overs short.
The ICC had given teams a way to deal with this. Under the playing conditions that came into effect on October 1, both sides can agree to use a pink ball in a daytime Test before the match begins. The choice must then apply for the whole game, so the ball cannot be switched once play has started.
That raised a question about why the pink ball was not used in Durban. Reports had suggested South Africa's reluctance stood in the way. McDonald addressed the subject after the Test, and his answer shows Australia were not in favour either. Pollock had also weighed in during the match, and the two views pointed in opposite directions.
Andrew McDonald explains why Australia said no to the pink ball
McDonald made his position short and direct. He said, "I don't like it. To change a red ball for a pink ball, I think it's a bit chancy to be honest. For us, it's a no." He then set out his reasons in more detail, starting with the rule itself.
McDonald said, "I don't like it. We've got the option to play with the pink Ball at the start of the test match. So that's an option if you feel as though bad light is going to interfere within the hours of play."
❌ "I don't like it. To change a red ball for a pink ball, I think it's a bit chancy to be honest. For us, it's a no."
— talkSPORT Cricket (@Cricket_TS) October 15, 2026
Australia Head Coach Andrew McDonald explains why he's not in favour of using pink balls in daytime Test Matches
Hear commentary of #SAvAUS on @talkSPORT2 🏏 pic.twitter.com/CnIBE7UWee
He also pointed to the timing of the Test. McDonald said, "I think we've got enough test cricket in here. Unique scenario, early season here. So you don't play test matches here." The Durban Test began on October 9, which is earlier in the year than South Africa usually hosts a Test.
The concern he kept returning to was the ball itself. McDonald said, "But to change a red ball for a pink Ball, I think it's bit of a chancey really to be honest. Like if you get that under the lights, and you know what age is the pink Ball, there's so many layers to that."
McDonald stopped short of telling other teams what to do. He said, "So I'll leave that up for others to debate. But to us it's a no." That sums up Australia's position: a firm refusal without a call to ban the option.
Shaun Pollock makes the case for a pink ball in daytime Tests
Pollock took the opposite side while speaking on SuperSport's coverage. He was careful to say what he was not suggesting. Pollock said, "I'm not saying for one moment that we should have used the pink ball and played a day-night game. I just believe we should have used the pink ball for the day game."
He argued that the pink ball is judged unfairly. Pollock pointed to Australia's recovery from 124/6 to 390 as an example. He said, "If Australia were 124 for six and we were using the pink ball, everyone would have said it was the pink ball's fault." He added that the recovery would have led to criticism that the ball had gone soft.
For Pollock, the main concern was lost cricket. He claimed, "The pink ball would have meant that we played 45 more overs of Test cricket yesterday if we had used it." That is half of a 90-over day. He closed with a direct message, "Don't be scared to use the pink ball."
Pollock also showed how the different coloured balls appear in the air. He suggested the pink and orange balls are easier to pick up than the red one.
MORE: Pink Day in South African cricket explained: Why the Proteas wear pink jersey at Johannesburg
Why the pink ball option went unused in Durban and what it means for the next Test
McDonald's answer changes how the debate looks. The earlier talk had focused on South Africa's reluctance. His words show the Australian camp was not asking for the change either. Neither side wanted to take on the risk, so the ICC option went unused in Durban.
Both sides had reasons to be wary. McDonald raised the unknowns of how a pink ball ages and behaves, and a switch mid-match is not allowed under the rule. Pollock's reply is that perception is the real problem. A pink ball takes the blame for any collapse or recovery that a red ball would not.
Australia went on to win the Test by 214 runs, so the lost overs did not decide the result. They did cost fans and teams a lot of cricket. The second Test starts in Gqeberha on October 18, with the final Test to follow in Cape Town, and the question will return if the light turns gloomy again. Until two captains agree before the toss, the pink ball will stay on the shelf.
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