IND vs AUS 2nd Test: Pink Ball vs Red Ball in Cricket - How Are The Two Balls Different?

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India and Australia continue do battle in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under with the pink-ball or day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide from Friday (December 6).

Unlike the series opener in Perth, where India defeated Australia by 295 runs, the Adelaide Test is being played using the pink ball rather than the traditional red ball, which is used in the longest format of the game or was the ball used in first-class until different coloured ball was introduced.

Matches being played under lights forced the use of different coloured balls to help with the players - fielding team and the batters to sight the ball. As a dark red coloured ball was difficult for the players to see, the colour balls were introduced.

First of all the white ball was introduced for limited overs games, than most recently there was the launch of the pink ball for the longer format. The pink ball was finalized after a lot of trials were made with different coloured balls. Why the pink ball? Here is a look:

Why pink ball is used in day-night Test matches?

The cricket ball manufacturers tried different colors, including optic yellow and bright orange. Fielders taking high catches could easily spot the yellow and orange balls on the field. However, batters complained of visibility due to brownish patches on pitches. Hence, they settled for the pink ball, which has better visibility for all involved.

What's the difference between Pink, Red and White ball in cricket?

All three balls are made using the same leather, but with a different dye on the top surface. The Pink Ball, however, is treated differently to retain its shine for longer periods with an extra layer of lacquer compared to red balls to help maintain the shine and visibility.

The extra lacquer is also believed to assist the pace bowlers find more swing as the stats also go on to show that pacers have dominated the game in pink ball Tests. Mitchell Starc, who claimed a fifer against India in Adelaide on Friday (December 6), is the leading wicket-taker in day-night Tests with 72 wickets.

The first official day-night Test match with a pink ball was played in November 2015 between Australia and New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval. Since the inception of the day-night Test, the game has spread worldwide, including matches played by India, England, West Indies and other top cricketing nations.