Ashes 2025: Revisiting England’s Pink-Ball Test Performances Ahead of The Gabba Clash

England have won only two of their seven Pink-Ball Tests, with five defeats, including three in the Ashes and heavy losses to India and New Zealand. Their shaky Day/Night record comes into focus as they head into the next Ashes Pink-Ball clash.

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Not-So-Impressive Pink Ball Test Record for England

England will lock horns with Australia in the second Test, which is a Pink-Ball game, of the ongoing Ashes 2025 series at the Gabba in Brisbane on Thursday, December 4. England, led by Ben Stokes, did not have an ideal start to their quest for the urn as the visitors lost the series opener by 8 wickets at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

Since England will face Australia in the Day/Night Test, their Pink Ball Test record naturally comes under scrutiny, as they registered five losses, including three in the Ashes, out of seven outings, making the upcoming The Gabba a crucial opportunity for the Ben Stokes-led side to rewrite their narrative under lights and gain momentum in the series.

On that note, let’s take a look at how England performed in the last six outings of the Pink-Ball Test.

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1. Vs West Indies in 2017

England played their first-ever Pink-Ball Test against the West Indies in Birmingham in 2017. The Three Lions, led by Joe Root, defeated the Caribbean side by an innings and 209 runs, recording their first win in a Day/Night Test. After England posted a total of 514/7 in the first innings, with Alastair Cook scoring 243 off 407 and Joe Root contributing 136, West Indies were bowled out twice for 168 and 137 in both innings, handing England a dominant innings-and-209-runs victory.

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2. Vs Australia in 2017

In the same year, after defeating the West Indies in their first Pink Ball Test, England had their second Day/Night Test in the Ashes clash against Australia at Adelaide. England were handed their first defeat in a Pink Ball Test as they lost by 120 runs. After bundling out Australia for 138 in the second innings and England had a 354-run target to chase. However, the visitors failed to chase down the target as they were bowled out for 233, falling 121 runs short on the final day of the Pink Ball Test.

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3. Vs New Zealand in 2018

A year later, in 2018, England had their third Pink Ball Test outing against New Zealand at Auckland. However, the Joe Root-led side suffered its second consecutive Day/Night Test defeat after losing to the Kiwis by an innings and 49 runs. England had a disastrous batting in the first innings, bundling out for 58, which set the tone for the match and left them too far behind to recover despite improved efforts in the second innings, wherein they bowled out for 320, falling well short of making New Zealand bat again.

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4. Vs India in 2021

After a gap of three years, England returned to Pink Ball cricket and this time against their long-time rivals India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. However, Joe Root-led side had a forgettable outing in their fourth Day/Night match as they were bundled out twice across both innings and set just a 45-run target for India to chase, which they successfully chased down on Day 2 of the match, securing a comprehensive 10-wicket win within two days and handing England yet another heavy Pink Ball defeat.

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5. Vs Australia in 2021

Later that year, in December, England and Australia locked horns for the second Pink Ball Test at Adelaide. Yet again, England struggled under lights as they were dismissed twice for 236 and 192 in both innings, allowing Australia to dominate and complete a comfortable 275-run win and seal another commanding Pink Ball victory in the Ashes series. With a defeat to Australia, England extended their Pink Test loss to four matches, highlighting their continued struggles under Day/Night conditions.

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6. Vs Australia in 2022

A year later, in 2022, England had yet again met Australia in the Pink Ball Test of the Ashes series at Hobart. However, the Three Lions failed to break their losing streak in a Day/Night match as they suffered a 146-run defeat to Australia, who wrapped the Ashes series with 4-0, as England’s batting faltered once more, bundling out for 188 and 124 in both innings, under the pink ball, extending their woes in Day/Night Tests.

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7. Vs New Zealand in 2023

England witnessed a light at the tunnel when they finally broke the losing streak in Pink Ball Tests. England and New Zealand faced off for the second Day/Night match, and the visitors ended their five-match Pink Ball Test losing streak with a commanding 267-run win at Mount Maunganui. After being bundled out for 374 in the second innings, England set a 394-run target for the Kiwis to chase. The legendary pace bowling duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad scalped four wickets each to bowl out New Zealand for 126, securing England’s first Pink Ball Test victory in six years.