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Cape Town - Former Proteas batsman Daryll Cullinan likes the idea of playing day-night Tests, but says teams need more preparation with the pink ball.
Cricket Australia unveiled plans on Wednesday for day-night Tests against South Africa and Pakistan but admitted player concerns about the experimental format meant the Proteas' fixture was not locked in.
The day-night Tests using a pink ball are a central part of Australia's home international schedule for 2016/17, which also features limited over matches against three nations.
South African players association chief Tony Irish said this week that the Proteas, unlike their Australian rivals, had no experience with the pink ball and did not want to be disadvantaged in the Test series.
"The reluctance to play is a sign of how much importance the South African players place on the series against Australia," he told The Australian newspaper.
In a video interview with ESPNcricinfo, Cullinan said he understood the South African players’ reservations.
“Whether it is ideal and good for the game, I have my doubts in that regard because you don’t want to get to a point where too much is out of the players’ hands and not in their favour,” said Cullinan.
When asked whether a warm-up game and net sessions will be enough preparation for South Africa to play with the pink ball, Cullinan said: “No, particularly when they’re not for it. So you’ve got that mental battle as well.
“They probably need to look at domestic cricket, give themselves the opportunity to get used to the idea and then take that into international cricket.
“I’d like to see all around the world that all sides get the opportunity to get used to it because it is a difference. When the white ball came along, it did take a bit of an adjustment.”
Cullinan highlighted the fact that the pink ball swung heavily at night during the Australia-New Zealand day-night Test last season.
“People will think, ‘does it really?' but the point is... after hours, that ball did too much. The Test match lasted three days so have you achieved your goal?
