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]England Cricket Team No Longer Interested in Playing Pink-Ball Tests in Australia After Ashes Setback
by K D Mishra
The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has no plans to accept any pink-ball day/night Tests in the Ashes series in Australia in the future. This comes after Ben Stokes & his team were defeated by 8 wickets in the second Ashes Test between AUS & ENG, which can be termed as a one-sided encounter. As per sources, England Cricket decided upon this based upon discussions btw ECB & Cricket Australia officials in a post-Ashes meeting.
According to a report by BBC Sport, talks between government representatives of the ECB and CA were centered on how the Ashes series can be maintained as a premier series, particularly during a time when Test cricket was under the magnifying glass.
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Even though there exists a plan between Australia and England for a solitary pink-ball Test Encounter in 2027 at MCG, marking 150 years of Test cricket, there exists a claim that an ex-Australia cricketer has asked CA to make it a red-ball Test, according to the report by BBC Sport. England has reportedly planned on ditching plans for Test cricket played under light during their tour of the Ashes in 2029/30, according to a report by BBC Sport.
🏏 England are unlikely to have to play a pink-ball day-night Test when they tour Australia in 2029-30 as the ECB and Cricket Australia look to ensure future Ashes series are more competitive
— Times Sport (@TimesSport) January 13, 2026
Full story by @legsidelizzy ⬇️https://t.co/G71TP2q0VG
England played their last day-night Test before the Brisbane Test in 2023 against England, winning the match by 267 runs. On the whole, England have played 8 pink-ball tests till date since the introduction of pink-ball tests in 2015, of which they have successfully won just 2. England have lost 4 day-night tests out of the 4 that they have played against their Aussie rivals, as well as 1 against India. They have been able to win pink-ball tests against New Zealand as well as the West Indies.
Australia, on the other hand, has tasted success in 14 out of 15 pink-ball tests played by them. Their defeat occurred when they were opposed by the West Indies in 2022 at The Gabba, thanks to the brilliance of Shamar Joseph.
