Types of Balls in Cricket: Red, White and Pink Explained

Professional cricket uses three main ball colours: red, white and pink. Red is standard for daytime Tests and first-class matches, white for limited-overs cricket, and pink for day-night Tests. All three are hard leather match balls; “leather ball” is therefore not a separate fourth colour type.

What are the main types of cricket ball?

The answer depends on what is being classified. For professional matches, colour and format create three useful categories. For practice and informal games, material creates another set.

Ball	Main use	Clothing and light	Key purpose
Red leather	Daytime Tests and first-class cricket	White clothing, daylight	Traditional long-format visibility
White leather	ODIs, T20s and other limited-overs matches	Coloured clothing, often floodlights	Contrast in night and televised cricket
Pink leather	Day-night Tests and some first-class matches	White clothing, daylight into floodlights	Visibility through changing light
Tennis or taped tennis	Informal games and some practice	Any	Softer, cheaper recreation
Rubber or synthetic	Training, schools and indoor practice	Any	Durability and lower cost
Specialist training ball	Coaching drills	Any	Develop swing, reaction or batting technique

This article uses “type” for the equipment. Yorker, bouncer, slower ball and googly are types of bowling deliveries, not different physical balls.

Red cricket ball

The red ball is the traditional choice for multi-day cricket played in daylight. Its dark colour contrasts with white clothing and remains visible against a light sight screen.

A Test fielding side normally begins an innings with one red ball. Under the Laws, it may request a new one after 80 overs, although it can continue with the old ball. The long period of use allows the surface and seam to change, bringing conventional swing, seam movement, spin and possible reverse swing into different stages of the innings.

Red leather is commonly darkened and then lacquered. BBC Sport’s examination of production found that its treatment can leave a different feel from the shinier white version, but the exact finish varies by manufacturer.

White cricket ball

White leather balls are used in ODIs and T20s, where players wear coloured uniforms and many matches finish under floodlights. A red ball would become difficult to track against dark clothing and at night; white gives players, spectators and cameras stronger contrast.

The surface generally has a bright polished finish to preserve visibility. Players often say it feels smoother and behaves differently from a red ball, particularly as it ages. That does not prove every white ball swings more. Weather, seam profile, condition and the bowler matter as much as colour.

Current men’s ODI rules add an important detail. Two new white balls alternate from opposite ends through over 34, so each has bowled 17 overs. The fielding side then selects one for overs 35 to 50. The ICC introduced that final single-ball phase in July 2025 to allow more late-innings wear and the possibility of reverse swing. The complete ODI overs guide explains the timing and powerplays.

Pink cricket ball

The pink ball was developed for Test and first-class matches that start in daylight and finish under floodlights. Red becomes hard to see at night, while white can disappear against the players’ white clothing. Bright pink supplies contrast in both conditions.

Pink balls usually carry a strong lacquered finish and a contrasting seam. Players sometimes report pronounced movement around dusk or under lights, but visibility, atmospheric conditions and the fresh lacquer all change at the same time. It is safer to assess the particular match than claim that pink always swings most.

Day-night Test cricket has used pink since the first such Test in 2015. In 2026 the ICC also approved trials allowing teams, by prior agreement, to switch to pink in an otherwise conventional Test when bad light is expected. Traditional daytime Tests still use red as the standard.

Red versus white versus pink cricket balls

Colour is the most visible difference, not the only possible one. Dye, wax, paint, lacquer, stitching and seam construction may vary between models.

Feature	Red	White	Pink
Main format	Day Tests, first-class	ODI, T20	Day-night Tests
Designed for	Daylight	Floodlights and coloured kits	Changing day-to-night light
Player clothing	White	Coloured	White
Typical surface	Dyed/waxed and lacquered	Bright polished coating	Bright lacquered coating
Long innings use	One ball, new one available after 80 overs	Format-specific replacement rules	Similar long-format use
Universal swing ranking	None proven	None proven	None proven

The last row corrects a common shortcut. BBC Sport reported that players perceive differences but manufacturers do not present colour alone as a performance hierarchy. One batch in humid conditions can behave differently from another on a dry abrasive pitch.

What is a cricket ball made of?

A professional ball has a cork-based centre wrapped tightly with yarn or string. Leather sections form the outer shell and are stitched together around the middle. The central rows of stitching create the raised seam that fast bowlers use for grip and movement.

The colour comes from the treatment of the cover, not a different internal game. Red, white and pink balls share the same basic structure. Their surface processes can differ to retain a usable colour during the intended match conditions.

Players may legally polish the ball without an artificial substance, subject to Law 41. Changing its condition by scratching, picking the seam or applying an unauthorized product is ball tampering. The umpires inspect the ball throughout an international match.

Official cricket ball size and weight

MCC Law 4 defines different ranges because the same senior men’s ball is not required for every competition.

Competition	Weight	Circumference
Men’s cricket	5.5 to 5.75 oz (155.9 to 163 g)	8.81 to 9 in (22.4 to 22.9 cm)
Women’s cricket	4.94 to 5.31 oz (140 to 151 g)	8.25 to 8.88 in (21.0 to 22.5 cm)
Under-13 cricket	4.69 to 5.06 oz (133 to 144 g)	8.06 to 8.69 in (20.5 to 22.0 cm)

National boards may set suitable sizes for younger age groups. Match organizers also approve the brand and model before play, so teams cannot substitute a personally preferred ball.

Are Dukes, Kookaburra and SG ball types?

No. Dukes, Kookaburra and SG are manufacturers. All can produce lawful leather balls, but their construction and finishing methods are not identical. Players notice differences in seam prominence, hardness, shine and the rate at which a surface wears.

Competition rules decide which approved brand is used. Changing the manufacturer can affect tactics even when colour and dimensions stay the same, which is why “red ball” alone does not fully describe how a Test ball will behave.

Practice and recreational cricket balls

Leather match balls are hard and can cause injury, so beginner practice often starts with softer equipment.

• Tennis balls suit gardens, streets and casual games. Tape can reduce grip and change bounce, but a taped tennis ball is not approved for professional cricket.
• Rubber and synthetic balls withstand repeated net sessions and rough surfaces.
• Soft safety balls help children learn catching and batting with less fear of impact.
• Weighted balls and small reaction balls serve specific drills and require supervised use.
• Swing-training balls use contrasting surfaces or shaped seams to teach wrist and seam position.

Choose the ball for the surface, player age, protective equipment and purpose. A leather ball requires a proper pitch, enough space and cricket safety gear. The cricket gear hub covers the equipment used around it, while the guide to 11-player cricket teams explains who fields and bowls with it.