South Africa Uncertain on Day-Night Test in Adelaide Against Australia

South Africa are undecided about the Adelaide Test being a day-night fixture after Cricket Australia announced the 2016/17 home summer.

South African players association chief Tony Irish has said the Proteas 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," Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland told The Australian newspaper.

South Africa, currently rated third in the world, will be aiming to replace Australia as the top-ranked Test team in the series, with the planned day-night Test in Adelaide looming as a potential decider.

The CA schedule also breaks with tradition by stripping Brisbane's Gabba of its customary hosting rights to the first Test of the season.

Instead the first Test against South Africa will be held in Perth from November 3-7, with Brisbane hosting the opening Test against Pakistan from December 15-19.

Sutherland said holding a day-night Test in Brisbane during the school holiday would draw big crowds, while opening the Test season against the Proteas in Perth would attract the city's large South African community.

However, players from both sides complained about the pink ball's movement and durability, as well as the difficulty batsmen faced seeing it under lights.

Sutherland said Pakistan had agreed to play a day-night Test in Brisbane but South Africa's players had refused to commit to a similar fixture in Adelaide.

"Understandably, there is some concern from the South African players," Sutherland said, underlining CA's argument that innovation was needed to reinvigorate Test cricket.

"Day-night Test cricket is all about the fans and a day-night match in Adelaide will be a bigger Test match crowd than the South African players will have ever experienced."

In addition to three-Test series against South Africa and Pakistan, the schedule also includes five one-dayers against Pakistan, three against New Zealand and three Twenty20 internationals against Sri Lanka.

Fixtures

Nov 3-7: Australia v South Africa 1st Test in Perth

Nov 12-16: Australia v South Africa 2nd Test in Hobart

Nov 24-28: Australia v South Africa 3rd Test in Adelaide (proposed day-night)