In the eye of a storm, the manufacturer of the Dukes ball on Friday said it will conduct a thorough review following widespread criticism of the 'soft' balls used in the first three Tests between India and England, according to a report by the BBC.
On-field umpires have regularly changed the balls during the ongoing five-match series, as they were unable to retain hardness and were going out of shape quickly—particularly after 30 overs. This has caused repeated delays in match proceedings.
Following criticism from India captain Shubman Gill and former England pacer Stuart Broad, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will collect as many used balls as possible and return them to the company that manufactures Dukes balls by the end of the week.
“We will take it away, inspect, and then start talking to the tanner, talking about all of the raw materials—everything,” Dilip Jajodia, owner of British Cricket Balls Ltd, which produces the Dukes, told BBC Sport.
“Everything we do will be reviewed, and then if we think some changes need to be made or tightened up, we will.”
The choice of ball used in a Test series is decided by the host board.
The Dukes is used in England, SG in India, and Kookaburra in Australia.
The Dukes ball, which has been in production since 1760, has faced quality concerns in both Test and County cricket in recent years.
During the Lord’s Test, Gill expressed frustration with the replacement ball handed over by umpires after the second new ball had to be changed within the first hour of the second morning. While Jasprit Bumrah had taken three quick wickets with the original ball, India failed to make a single breakthrough in the rest of the first session after the red cherry was replaced.
Broad, a long-time critic of the Dukes ball, also voiced his displeasure with the replacement.
England currently lead the five-match series 2–1, with victories in London and Leeds, while India won in Edgbaston.
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