Veteran Australian opener Usman Khawaja has said that he will retire from the game if pink balls are permanently used to play in the longer format. The left-handed batter also shared that while the red cherry acts clearly, he doesn’t formulate the rules and guidelines. With bad-light stoppages in the game becoming regular in Test cricket, many have suggested the use of pink instead of the red ball. Moreover, former England captain Michael Vaughan has shared his views.

Speaking to reporters after Day 2 of the third Australia-Pakistan Test in Sydney, Khawaja was quoted as saying by nine.com.au: “If it is, I’m retiring. I personally think it’s not (the solution). The red ball is so distinct. I play white ball, I play pink ball, I play red ball and they all react so differently. But I don’t make those laws, I don’t make those rules.”

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However, Day 2 of the third Test between Australia and Pakistan also saw a stoppage in play due to bad light. With Pakistan captain Shan Masood wanting to continue with a pace bowler at one end, the umpires had to call the players off as well. Khawaja also stated that the pink ball acts differently off the surface as well. Australia, meanwhile, leads the three-match Test series against Pakistan 2-0 as they have won in Perth and Melbourne.

“The red ball reacts way differently off the wicket, feels different off the bat, it acts different out of the hands when the bowlers are bowling. The red ball is what we grew up playing. The red ball is Test cricket. Unless you can find a way to replicate the sun, the lights aren’t the same, the lights shining on a red ball is really hard to see. The pink ball is a lot better, but it doesn’t react the same as the red and this is my argument. This is Test cricket,” Usman Khawaja concluded.