India’s Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant has said that the gauge to measure Test match balls, be them Dukes or Kookaburra, should be the same, adding that it would be best if they were smaller. The Dukes ball has been one of the most discussed and debated topics over the last 10 to 11 days in England. Rishabh Pant has slammed the quality of the Dukes ball being used in the ongoing Test series against England, much like his skipper Shubman Gill, saying that he has never seen the red cherry go out of shape to this extent.
The sight of both England and India players constantly walking to the umpires seeking ball change in both Leeds and Birmingham has been frustrating. That sentiment was expressed openly by both Ben Stokes and Rishabh Pant on the eve of the Lord’s Test with the England captain even questioning whether the ball gauge used was ideal to measure the Dukes ball.
On the second day of the Leeds Test, Rishabh Pant threw the ball into the ground after the umpires refused to replace the ball, which he felt was out of shape. The ICC reprimanded Pant and sanctioned him with one demerit point for an offence he accepted.
When told about the opinion expressed by Stokes today, Rishabh Pant jokingly said that he would stick to the same ball gauge, but the rings could be “smaller”. But the Indian vice-captain pointed out it was “irritating” to keep encountering the Dukes going out of shape very quickly during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
The Duke ball controversy irritates both English and Indian players
The Duke ball being used in India’s tour of England is deteriorating quickly. Several players, including English captain Ben Stokes, have demanded that the umpires change the ball. Due to the ball deteriorating, bowlers are not getting help and batting is becoming easier. Understand further why the ball is deteriorating quickly and what impact it has on the game.
- Leather quality compromise A media report claimed that the company making it compromised on the ball’s stitching and leather quality. This causes the ball to wear out quickly and lose its shape.
- Humidity and clouds in the atmosphere It is currently the summer season in England. There was rain in Edgbaston. The weather there had humidity and clouds at this time. Excessive humidity or a wet outfield makes the ball heavy and soft. This loosens the stitching.
- Flat pitches are being made In this series in England, flat and less grassy pitches have been seen so far. This causes the ball to scuff more and deteriorate quickly. In the last match, the Indian team scored more than 1000 runs.
When the ball is soft, batting becomes very easy. There is no help for the bowlers. The speed of the ball decreases, and the bounce also reduces. Additionally, when the size of the ball is large, it becomes difficult to grip. Citing this issue , players like Shubman Gill and Ben Stokes have raised concerns regarding the Duke Ball controversy. Now at the pre match press conference, Indian vice skipper Shubman Gill has raised his concerns regaring the Dukes ball used in the series.
Rishabh Pant’s take on Dukes ball
India vice-captain Rishabh Pant didn’t hold back when asked about the Dukes ball being used in the ongoing Test series against England, joining a chorus of dissatisfaction from within the Indian camp. Days after Shubman Gill flagged concerns about the ball losing shape far too quickly, Pant echoed the sentiment and added a touch of humour, even while calling for the standardisation of the gauges used.
“The gauge (to measure the balls) should be the same (whether it’s Dukes or Kookaburra). But it would be better if it was smaller (laughs),” Rishabh Pant said in the press conference.
“The balls are giving so much trouble,” he added.
The wicketkeeper-batter, who has been vocal on-field and off, sounded visibly annoyed with how erratic the red ball has behaved across the two Tests so far.
“What I’ve seen, the ball is getting de-shaped too much. That has never happened like this to me. It’s definitely irritating for the players because every ball plays differently. When it becomes softer, sometimes it’s not doing too much,” Rishabh Pant said, explaining how bowlers are struggling to extract any purchase once the early shine wears off
The shape issues have led to repeated interruptions with bowlers and captains often walking up to the umpires requesting ball changes, a rare frequency for an England summer. With the contest quickly tilting in favour of batters post the new-ball spell, the Dukes’ long-standing reputation for consistent seam movement is taking a visible hit.
Having tied the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the third Test at the historical Lords is going to be a blockbuster as it is finely balanced at 1-1. England skipper Ben Stokes has shown his cards and said that his team will perform with all guns blazing against India when the five day encounter between the two teams starts on July 10.
Also Read: ENG vs IND : Shubman Gill Appointed Test Skipper For Red Ball