Stuart Broad calls pink-ball Test a gamble before Gabba showdown
28 Nov 2025

England fast bowler Stuart Broad has said that the outcome of the upcoming Brisbane Test will depend largely on how well his team handles the "lottery" of the pink ball.

The second Test in the five-match Ashes series starts on December 4 at The Gabba, following Australia's eight-wicket victory in the first match.

England have never won a pink-ball Test, losing by 120 runs in Adelaide in 2017 and then by 275 runs and 146 runs in Adelaide and Hobart respectively during their last Ashes tour in 2021.

'We know the pink-ball Test'
Words

Broad highlighted that while the best team usually wins Test matches, this particular one is more susceptible to conditions.

"We know the pink-ball Test, having played a few ourselves, is a bit of a lottery," Broad said on the For The Love of Cricket podcast.

"Ultimately the best team generally wins Test matches but this one, it's on a bit more of a knife edge of conditions."

Broad's reservations about pink-ball cricket
Personal view

Broad expressed his reservations about bowling first in pink-ball cricket because the new ball doesn't do much in daylight.

"If you can get a brand new ball under the floodlights at the Gabba, you should be taking wickets and you can break the game open," said Broad.

He added by the time you reach twilight, the ball is 60 overs old and doesn't do anything - and the new ball comes too late in the day.

'I'm not the biggest fan (of pink-ball Tests)'
Verdict

Broad admitted he isn't a big fan of pink-ball Tests as they are quite situational dependent.

"I'm not the biggest fan (of pink-ball Tests) to be honest," said Broad.

"It's quite situational dependent, so if you can manipulate the game to get a brand new ball in the twilight, you've got a great chance of doing really well because the ball just seems to zip around a little bit more."

Australia have dominated pink-ball Tests
Fact

Australia have been dominant in home pink-ball Tests, winning 12 out of 13 matches. Their only defeat came against West Indies at The Gabba.