Dukes Manufacturer Breaks Silence After Facing Heavy Criticism at Lord's

The three Test matches between India and England have been completed, with the series in favor of the hosts, 2-1. Despite some brilliant performances by India, the series is somewhat slipping away from their hands. While in the first match England chased down the given target, India won the second one with ease. However, more drama happened in the third match at the Lord's, with the game going against the visitors.

Amidst all the drama, Indian skipper Shubman Gill showed dissatisfaction regarding the usage of the Dukes balls in the match. After the first Test match, while speaking to the PTI, he said, “It is very difficult for the bowlers. I think more than the wicket, maybe the ball is out of shape very quickly. It gets soft very quickly. I don't know what it is, whether it is wickets or whatever. It is difficult for the bowlers. It is very difficult to get a wicket in such conditions, when there is nothing there.”

This raised concerns because even though it was a batting pitch, the bowlers faced a lot of issues with the ball, as mentioned by the Indian captain. Several former players and cricket experts had raised questions about the balls' condition in the previous three matches. But finally, the Dukes manufacturer gave a response on the issue.

Dukes Manufacturer Response After Criticism

After receiving several concerns and criticisms regarding the ball, Dilip Jajodia, owner of British Cricket Balls Ltd, responded to them and told the BCC Sport that a thorough investigation will be held to get to the bottom of the matter.

“We will take it away, inspect, and then start talking to the tanner, talking about all of the raw materials — everything. Everything we do will be reviewed, and then if we think some changes need to be made or tightened up, we will,” said Jajodia.

Not only Gill, but former England pacer Stuart Broad also raised concerns about the shape of the balls. He asked the ICC and the ECB to look into the matter on an immediate basis.

There are no specific balls that are used in Test matches. It completely depends on the nation in which the matches are happening. For instance, if the match is happening in India, SG balls are used, while Australia uses Kookaburra and England uses Dukes. The debate has gone viral after India lost the third Test match against England. While two more matches are left, there are fewer chances of changing the balls in between the series. Hence, the criticism regarding the Dukes ball will stay for a while.

England Go 2-1 Up

In the third Test match against England, the Men in Blue gave up a big chance to take a lead in the IND vs ENG Test series.. India were in with a chance but the luck factor was on the hosts' side as Mohammed Siraj was dismissed with just 23 runs left to chase. It wasn't a careless wicket, and neither was that a spectacular ball. The ball went straight to the stumps after hitting Siraj's bottom edge. Overall, it was an unfortunate wicket and India lost the match by just 22 runs. Ravindra Jadeja was the lone man standing after scoring a solid half-century.

India now have two more matches and both of them will be do-or-die for them. The way Indian batters are playing, it is quite evident that they are confident about their skills and will surely give their best in the upcoming matches. With Jasprit Bumrah set to play in the fourth Test match, the bowling looks equally strong. Hence, the series is going towards a thrilling finish.