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Every sport has witnessed evolution and cricket is no stranger. The sport has altered everything from formats to uniforms to the rules themselves over the decades. And no part of cricket is going to be spared this evolution. Not even the ball. In November, for the first time, an official, international cricket game is going to be played with something other than a white or red ball. And this time they're going pink.

The upcoming day-night test match between Australia and New Zealand will feature the first-ever pink ball in international cricket, an experiment to see whether the brighter balls will be easier to spot under the lights. Developed by Australian sports company Kookaburra, the new ball is expected to improve visibility in comparison to white balls, which can't be used in test matches since the players are also dressed in white, as well as the red ball that is much harder to see under flood lights.

Kookaburra claims that the new ball will not differ in any significant way from the old kind, except that it will be dyed pink and that its surface will be a little harder so that the colour stays on for longer. For the moment the experimental ball is only likely to be used at the NZ-Australia match-up in November.