Who would’ve thought the Dukes ball would become one of the biggest talking points in the India-England series? What began as a few complaints has now turned into a full-blown debate. Both teams—especially India—have expressed frustration with how the ball is behaving.
After just three matches, the ball is almost as much in the spotlight as the players.
India lost their cool during the third Test at Lord’s when their request to change the ball on Day 2 was denied. The Indian players were convinced that the ball had gone out of shape, but the umpires disagreed and allowed play to continue without a replacement.
Now, former England captain Alastair Cook has weighed in on the issue, poking fun at how bowlers often deflect blame.
“I just love how bowlers are always moaning. It’s like they bowl a bad ball and it’s never their fault. They’ve scraped the footmark… If they bowl a bad ball, they look at the ball and blame the shape,” Cook quipped while speaking on BBC Sport.
He also shared a batter’s perspective, saying that a harder ball is preferred over a softer one, which makes stroke play difficult.
“I think a batsman would much rather hit some slightly harder ball. Nothing worse than playing a lovely cover drive like I used to and it going nowhere,” he added, highlighting how a worn ball can affect even the cleanest strokes.
With two Tests left in the series and pressure mounting, the condition of the Dukes ball is likely to remain a talking point,
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