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Tomorrow on the 12th of July, Australia are about to step into the unknown as they gear up for their first ever day-night test match outside of Australia. This pink ball test is being hosted by Sabina Park in Jamaica and is the third match of a series in which Australia have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead, however it still holds importance in itself as it is part of the freshly started World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.

Delays with the installation of the lights and scoreboard had raised concerns before the start of the test. Initially, the installation of the new floodlights was delayed. Originally, they were due to be completed early this year, and then by May, but they have only recently gone in. Moreover, during recent test events, one of the playing areas was found to not be sufficiently lit. However the ground has received a green signal from the ICC for the game to go ahead under lights. The first two of five T20Is between West Indies and Australia are also to be played at this venue after the conclusion of the third test, which is the final match of the series.

The game will be played with pink duke balls, which have been used only twice in test cricket - once at Edgbaston in 2017 in a game between England and the West Indies, while the second occasion was a test match between West Indies and Sri Lanka in Barbados, thus it will be a step into the unknown for the Aussies.

West Indies and Australia have played two pink ball tests till date. The first one was in Adelaide in December 2022 which Australia won comprehensively by 419 runs on the back of 175 from Travis Head in the first innings, which was followed by the Aussie bowlers rolling over West Indies for just 77 in the 4th innings. The second and more famous one was played at the Gabba in January 2024 which saw West Indies upset Australia by just 8 runs as Shamar Joseph picked up 7 wickets defending a target of 216.

Australia have so far played 13 day-night tests, all of them at home, 12 of which they have won. The only loss came against West Indies at the Gabba in January 2024. Most recently, they defeated India by 10 wickets at the Adelaide Oval in December 2024, which helped them maintain their perfect record at the Adelaide Oval, winning all 8 of the pink ball tests they have played at that venue.

Mitchell Starc, who is now set to play a landmark 100th test, has been by far Australia's most successful bowler with the pink ball, picking up a total of 74 wickets at a strike rate of 34.8, which is the best for any pacer to have bowled more than 100 overs with the pink ball. Starc's tally of 74 is almost double that of Australia's next best, Nathan Lyon who was 34 wickets with the pink ball. Thus, this test being played under lights is quite fitting for Starc's 100th test match.

Team news

Kraigg Brathwaite who recently played out his 100th test match is facing a very dry run with the bat and has not been guaranteed a spot in the lineup by West Indies head coach Darren Sammy. Brathwaite has not crossed single figures in this series in any of the 4 innings thus far, and has not scored a hundred since February 2023 after which he has scored only three fifties. Sammy suggested that they did have more options, with Mikyle Louis, a first class opener who has also opened for West Indies in the past, and Kevlon Anderson who bats at no 3 for West Indies A and in first class cricket both available for selection.

Meanwhile, Australian head coach Andrew McDonald doesn't expect any changes for the final game despite having already clinched the series 2-0. McDonald said: "If the conditions were the same as what was presented in the first couple of Test matches and everyone pulls up fine, then it's highly unlikely for any change".

Update: Australian captain Pat Cummins has said that they're leaving all options open, with the complete nature of the pink dukes ball still an unknown. It is being widely speculated that Australia may leave out Nathan Lyon for an extra pace option in Scott Boland.

Day-night test record

Australia: played (13), won (12), lost (1)

West Indies: played (5), won (1), lost (4)

Australia tour of West Indies 2025 schedule

1st Test: 25-29 June - Australia won by 159 runs - Barbados

2nd Test: 03-07 July - Australia won by 133 runs - Grenada

3rd Test: 12-16 July - Jamaica (D/N) - 1:30 pm local, 11:30 pm PST

1st T20I: 21 July - Jamaica (N) - 7 pm local, 5 am PST

2nd T20I: 23 July - Jamaica (N) - 7 pm local, 5 am PST

3rd T20I: 26 July - St Kitts (N) - 7 pm local, 4 am PST

4th T20I: 27 July - St Kitts (N) - 7 pm local, 4 am PST

5th T20I: 29 July - St Kitts (N) - 7 pm local, 4 am PST

Following the conclusion of this tour, West Indies is set to host Pakistan next with the series scheduled to start from July 31 in Florida. The Florida leg consists of 3 T20Is, with the remaining 3 games to be hosted in Trinidad from 8 August as per the original schedule. The original schedule consisted of 3 ODIs in Trinidad, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in favor of replacing them with additional T20Is instead in order to aid preparation for the upcoming Asia Cup in September and then the T20 World Cup next year in February. The latest update on the status of the ODIs is that nothing is confirmed yet, although there is a high chance that the 3 ODIs still get replaced by 3 more T20Is.