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 upcoming day-night test against Australia in Adelaide.
The jury is out on the merits of the pink ball after it produced mixed results in a series of Sheffield Shield games.
New Zealand will tune up for the inaugural day-night Test with a two-day tour match against a WA XI at the WACA Ground, starting Saturday.
A host of players have expressed concern at the visibility and durability of the pink ball.
New Zealand players were a tad nervous when told they would be part of the first ever 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But McCullum says any trepidation has been replaced by excitement.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, starting on 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."
Australia 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."
The traditional red Kookaburra ball came under fire during the drawn second Test at the WACA Ground.
Both teams had issues with the ball, which was replaced on more than 10 occasions during the match.
One of the new balls lasted just three deliveries before it had to be replaced.
Cricket Australia have since launched an investigation into the issue, which has bothered players for much of the past year.
New Zealand trail 1-0 in the current series, meaning they need to win in Adelaide if they are to come away with a draw.
