LONDON– Following mounting criticism that the Dukes cricket ball has been going soft too early during matches, the manufacturer announced plans to examine the balls used in the first three Tests between England and India in an effort to address the concerns.
The Dukes ball, produced since 1760 and long regarded as a gold standard in red-ball cricket, has come under fire during the ongoing series for losing its hardness and shape well before the second new ball is due.
“We’re going to take the balls back, inspect them, and then begin discussions with the tanner, review all the raw materials—everything,” said Dilip Jajodia, owner of British Cricket Balls Ltd, which manufactures the Dukes ball, in an interview with BBC Sport on Friday. “Everything we do will be reviewed, and if we believe changes need to be made or standards tightened, we will do so.”
The ball’s rapid deterioration—often within the first 30 overs—has made wicket-taking increasingly difficult for bowlers on both sides. The issue gained renewed attention during the third Test at Lord’s, where England had to replace the ball five times during their first innings. Another ball had to be replaced just 10.2 overs into play on day two.
“The unique nature of cricket is that you can’t fully test a ball until it’s in use,” Jajodia explained. “So if it fails, it fails in the middle of a match—and at the highest level, that failure is under the full glare of public scrutiny. All we can do is be as thorough as possible throughout the manufacturing process.”
India, led by Shubman Gill, will look to recover from a narrow 22-run defeat at Lord’s as they prepare for the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, beginning July 23. The five-match series will conclude with the final Test at The Oval in London from July 31 to August 4. (Source: IANS)
