The Analyst Inside Cricket Who's in Charge?
Dec 3, 2025
The hosts dive into the crucial second Ashes Test at the Gabba, highlighting the challenges of playing with a pink ball under lights. They discuss England’s precarious position and the rarity of comebacks from 2-0 down. The conversation touches on strategies for batting first, the visibility issues posed by the pink ball, and England’s limited preparation. Rumors swirl around Pat Cummins’ potential return, while the podcast humorously notes the importance of wearing helmets on scooters. Plus, there’s a call for England to summon their courage.
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Day-Night Tests Favor Early Batting
- Day-night Tests shift advantage to the team batting first because scoring falls as the match progresses under lights.
- Simon Hughes notes first-innings averages drop sharply across innings in Australian day-night Tests, favouring early runs.
Respect The New Ball And Wait
- Respect Mitchell Starc early and wait for conditions to ease before expanding the scoring.
- Simon Hughes advises England to bide their time like they did when chasing India at Headingley.
Why The Pink Ball Is Tougher
- The pink ball behaves differently because extra lacquer increases swing and the black seam is harder to pick up.
- Simon Hughes explains the pink ball's coating and seam reduce visibility and create unusual glare under lights.