Australia’s Usman Khawaja has emerged as a vocal opponent against the idea of permanently switching to pink balls in Test cricket, emphasizing his strong preference for the traditional red ball.
During the ongoing third Test between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney, play was stopped due to bad light on second day. This prompted discussions about alternative solutions to avoid such interruptions. While some, like former England captain Michael Vaughan, advocated for the permanent use of pink ball rather than red ball to tackle bad light issues.
However, Usman Khawaja stands firmly against this notion. He expressed his sentiments, stating that the red ball’s unique characteristics in Test cricket are unparalleled and irreplaceable. Khawaja firmly expressed his disapproval of permanently switching to the pink ball, going to the extent of hinting at retirement if such changes were implemented.
In an interview with an Australian channel, Usman Khawaja voiced his concern, stating, “I’ve played white ball, I’ve played pink ball, I’ve played red ball. They all react so differently. Nothing reacts like that red ball. How they make it, the dye they put on it.”
“I think the game hasn’t changed. I think people maybe are just getting a little bit more impatient. It sucks, but that’s Test cricket, unfortunately. And when it rains or when you have bad light, you just have to cop it.
“I would retire if pink balls become the bad light solution,” Khawaja concluded.
His strong stance emphasized the historical significance and unique characteristics of the red ball, suggesting that a switch to the pink ball isn’t the solution to the ongoing issues related to bad light and stoppages in Test cricket.
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