Pretty in pink: Jhye high on day-night Test

After Australia's bowlers were forced to wage a war of attrition through two Test matches and three declarations to claim 20 wickets against India, the opening day of the Sri Lanka series was as bright and lively as the pink ball that wreaked havoc on a pace-friendly Gabba wicket.

With 12 wickets falling through an entertaining three sessions in Brisbane, fans could have been forgiven for thinking they were watching the contest unfold in fast forward.

The pink ball and day-night Test cricket has polarised the population at times but debutant quick Jhye Richardson is unashamedly – and unsurprisingly – a fan.

"I think it's great to see for the game," he told reporters after picking up 3-26 from 14 overs in what was an outstanding maiden bowling innings for the 22-year-old.

"For everyone to see the ball swing, it's exciting for the fans, it's exciting for us, it's exciting for everyone.

"It brings the bowlers into the game a little bit more."

Only one of Richardson's 11 first-class games prior to this first Test had been played with a pink ball (he returned match figures of 4-81) but after taking a couple of overs to ease the nerves, he quickly looked at home with the luminescent cherry in hand.

Australia skipper Tim Paine had hoped for a traditional Gabba wicket and he wouldn't have been disappointed; an even covering of grass and a hard surface resulted in bounce and movement for the quicks and spinners alike.

Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne noted the "late swing" Richardson was able to generate as well as the general movement off the pitch and, like the Australian, he also saw the way in which the ball moved under lights.

"In the first session it didn't swing a lot … but when we were bowling it swung a lot, seaming as well," Karunaratne said.

"I think you have to bowl good lengths to get some swing."

Australia are four wins from four in day-night Tests, with all those matches having been played on home soil, but they will do well to recall the events of the only pink-ball Test at the Gabba previously.

In that match, they bowled Pakistan out for 142 in their first innings – two fewer than Sri Lanka's total on Thursday – but the tourists rallied to make 450 in pursuit of what would have been a world record chase of 490.

Richardson was only one match into his first-class career at that point and if the exuberant Western Australian is taking history lessons, he isn't letting on, choosing to focus instead on the excitement of getting another crack with the pink ball in the second innings as this Test unfolds.

"This is a fantastic wicket," he added. "It'll be nice to see what happens over the next four days, but to see the ball swing that early, and then to see it nip around again under lights, I think it's great to see – I think it's perfect."