Cricket Ball Dilemma: Players Frustrated Over Unreliable Dukes Balls in Test Series

Players from the Indian and English cricket teams are expressing growing frustration over the performance of Dukes balls during their Test series. The balls have been reported to lose shape and become too soft swiftly, leading to frequent replacements within matches and disrupting the flow of the game.

Dilip Jajodia, owner of Dukes, acknowledged the issue, stressing the natural materials used in the balls, such as cowhide and cork, limit control over consistency. He also noted pandemic-related disruptions had adversely affected production quality. Jajodia indicated that while harder balls could solve some problems, they could lead to an unsafe game.

Suggestions for improvements are emerging from players, with Joe Root advocating for a limited number of ball condition checks by umpires to prevent excessive interruptions. Despite the challenges, Dukes remains committed to refining their products to meet the high standards expected by international cricket.

(With inputs from agencies.)