So the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy has drama too! A debate has been going on in the Test matches about the Dukes ball. Players from both India and England have been asking the umpires to change the ball, saying it becomes soft and loses shape faster than expected.
The umpires then check the ball with a gauge. This leads to a discussion between players and officials and no matter the result, it disrupts the momentum of a team.
Here’s what some players have said:
Shubman Gill, India Test Captain: I think the ball is losing shape very quickly. It gets soft fast. So it’s hard for the bowlers to take wickets.
Ben Stokes, England Test Captain: When teams come to visit, the balls often get soft and go out of shape. The rings we use might not even be the correct ones for Dukes balls. It’s not ideal but we have to work with it.
Rishabh Pant, India Test Vice-Captain: I think it’s a big problem because the ball is not keeping its shape. I have not seen this series before and every ball reacts differently. When the ball softens it doesn’t swing but when a new ball is introduced then swing starts. This is irritating for the players. As a batsman you have to adjust but it’s not good for the game as a whole.
So what’s this gauge test everyone is talking about?
Umpires use a ball gauge to check if a ball has lost its shape. The gauge has two rings: the ball must pass through one ring (the maximum acceptable diameter) but not the other (the minimum acceptable diameter) to be considered usable. If it fails the test it’s replaced.
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What does the manufacturer of the Dukes ball say about all this?
Dilip Jagjodia who makes the Dukes ball believes the rules need to be updated to reflect the changes in the game. He says the ball is designed to soften over time but this process is happening too quickly because bats are more powerful, players are stronger and the ball is hitting hard objects all the time. Jagjodia told The Mirror: Everyone blames the ball. If players score zero it’s the pitch’s fault. If bowlers don’t take wickets it’s the ball. Balls wear down so maybe game officials should think of introducing a new ball between 60-70 overs.
