Yes — the second Test at the Gabba is a pink-ball, day-night match, making it one of the most strategically significant games of the Ashes series.

England won the toss and opted to bat first, but the conditions at the Gabba are heavily influenced by the twilight and evening sessions, where the pink Kookaburra ball tends to swing and seam far more than during the day.

Why is this Gabba Test played with a pink ball?

Cricket Australia scheduled this Test as a day-night fixture to maximise crowd attendance and prime-time viewership. The Gabba has a long history of hosting pink-ball cricket, and the venue’s conditions — lack of daylight savings and extended evening play — make it ideal.

Australia captain Steve Smith even highlighted this before the toss, saying the pink ball “offers quite a bit, particularly later on under lights,” and that bowling under lights can dramatically change the match.

How does the pink ball affect the game?

  • Increased swing under lights

  • More movement off the surface in the evening

  • Tougher for batters once the sun sets

  • Favors fast bowlers, especially those hitting the seam

With Australia going all-pace and leaving out Nathan Lyon, the pink-ball conditions have already shaped team strategy.

Context:

England have won only 2 Tests at the Gabba in 70 years, and both sides know that a pink-ball match adds unpredictability — making this fixture even more crucial in the Ashes storyline.