New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum insists his team's no longer a reluctant participant in the pink ball experiment, saying his players will embrace the unpredictability of the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide.
The jury is out on the merits of the pink ball after mixed results in a series of Sheffield Shield games.
NZ will tune up for the inaugural day-night Test with a two-day tour match against a WA XI at the WACA Ground, starting on Saturday.
Numerous players have expressed concern at the visibility and durability of the pink ball.
Black Caps players were a little nervous initially when told they would be part of the first day-night Test.
But McCullum says any trepidation has been replaced by excitement.
"Obviously there was hesitancy from both sides heading into the announcement of the pink ball," McCullum said ahead of the third Test in Adelaide, beginning on Friday week (November 27).
"But now we're going to embrace the challenge.
"Hopefully, it goes brilliantly in front of a big crowd broadcast around the world. The reluctance going in has disappeared."
Australian captain Steve Smith has his fingers crossed the pink ball will hold up.
"We played the Shield game with the pink ball in Adelaide a couple of weeks ago and the ball stayed together pretty well," Smith said.
"I think there was eight millimetres of grass on that wicket, and it's likely to be a pretty similar wicket for the Test match next week.
"Hopefully, the ball stays in shape the same way it did a couple of weeks ago."
Coach Darren Lehmann was likewise confident the pink ball would be ok.
"It should do. It was fine the other day (in the Shield match at Adelaide Oval)," Lehmann said.
The traditional red Kookaburra ball came under fire during the drawn second Test at the WACA Ground.
Both teams had issues, with the pill replaced on more than a dozen occasions during the match.
Cricket Australia is confident there will be enough old pink balls, from the day-night Shield round, to replace those whacked out of shape during next week's Test.
NZ trail 1-0 in the series, meaning they need to win in Adelaide if they are to come away with a draw.
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