"We Will Take It Away": Owners of 'Irritating' Dukes Ball, At The Centre Of Controversy In India vs England Series, Gives In

NDTV

19-07-2025

Some changes might be loading after huge complaints against the Dukes ball. Following frustration of players over Dukes ball going out of shape and softer way too quickly in the first three Tests of India, England series, owner of the brand, Dilip Jajodia, has said that he could make the ball with a "really, really hard at the centre", but it would "break bats and fingers". Players from both the sides have expressed their frustration with the ball going too soft and out of shape quickly during the series. The ball, known for producing some unbelievable movement and lasting long, has now been changed many times during these three Tests and has been smashed really hard for very long times by batters across both teams on pitches that have been batting-friendly for the most part.
"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, who make 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."
In Test cricket a new ball is given after 80 overs into an innings but in the England series, the ball, as old as ten overs, has been changed due to its shape.
"The fundamental thing about cricket balls is that the raw materials are raw materials," Jajodia said as quoted by Wisden. "They are natural, right? It is cow hide, it is cork, it is rubber, it is wool, winding thread, all that stuff. It's a completely natural, almost alive product."
While Dukes has said that every ball is made to the highest standard, they have less control over the material. In 2022, during COVID-19, an issue with leather production and it being treated with wrong chemicals and wrong amount of time, owing to the pandemic, led to a batch of poor quality Dukes balls. Dukes have stayed committed to reviewing everything finely, from materials to production.
This issue of ball change has slowed down the pace of the game. The ball can be made harder, Jajodia says. "I can put a rock in there, a really, really hard centre, and that will solve the problem. But you won't have a good game of cricket. That would break bats and break fingers".
Just a couple of overs into the second day of play on Friday at Lord's, India complained about the Dukes ball, which was around 10 overs old. The umpire tried to put the ball through the hoop, but it did not go through. India captain Shubman Gill was seen having an animated chat with the umpire, possibly expressing his discontent with the replacement ball. Even in the drinks break, Gill appeared to be livid during his conversation with the umpire.
Speaking after the second day of play in the third Lord's Test, England batter Joe Root called for implementation of a rule where the fielding team can be given a number of times which they can ask for ball's condition to be checked by umpires.
"I personally think that if you want to keep getting the ball changed then each team gets three challenges every 80 overs and that's it," said Root as quoted by Wisden. "But the rings have to be the right size, not too big. That would be a nice way of compromising and saying it is not all on the manufacturer. Sometimes these things happen, but you cannot just keep asking and wasting time and slowing the game down at the same time," he added.
The persistent issue with the ball continued when, 48 deliveries later, the ball required changing yet again. Even before the third contest, the ball-change trend was evident during the first two Tests.
The Dukes' balls continued to be at the centre of attention yet again on day three. The process to identify the replacement began moments after the drinks break ended in the first session. Former England cricketer Ian Ward gave his take on the "ridiculous" ball change which caused an unprecedented delay in the first session of Day 3.
Ward fumed at the umpire's decision not to change the ball during the drinks break, but after it, which led to a seven-plus minute break."They have decided to change the ball again, it's quite frankly ridiculous because if they've decided to change the ball, why was that not decided at the start of the drinks break?" Ward said on Sky Sports.
"We waited for the entirety of the drinks break; they should be playing again now, and now the umpires have decided to change it and go through the procedure," he added.
Former England pacer Stuart Broad believes that the constant change of the ball due to the loss of shape indicates that the Dukes "have a problem".
"The cricket ball should be like a fine wicketkeeper. Barely noticed. We are having to talk about the ball too much because it is such an issue, & being changed virtually every innings. Unacceptable. Feels like it's been 5 years now. Dukes have a problem. They need to fix it. A ball should last 80 overs. Not 10," Broad wrote on X.
Ahead of the third Test at Lord's, Indian vice-captain Rishabh Pant had said about the ball going out of shape being "not good for cricket".
"I feel the gauge should be the same (to determine if the ball has gone out of shape, irrespective of the ball brand), but if it is a little smaller, it will be better. Definitely, I feel it is a big problem because the ball is getting out of shape. But at the same time, it is not up to us. Because visually, when you see the ball, you can see it's de-shaped."
"The ball is getting de-shaped too much. That has never happened like this. It is definitely irritating for the players because every ball plays in a different way. Because when it becomes softer, sometimes it does not do too much. But as soon as ball is changed, it starts to do enough. So as a batsman, you have to keep adjusting to it...I feel it is not good for cricket eventually," he added.
According to ESPNCricinfo, England skipper Ben Stokes had said whenever we have touring teams visiting, there is an issue with the balls going soft and completely out of shape.
"I do not even think the rings that we use are Dukes rings. It is not ideal. But you have to deal with it," he said.