 "Nasser Hussain feels Team India made a mistake by asking for a ball change, while fans are criticising the quality of the Dukes balls. Images: Sky Sports")
Former England captain Nasser Hussain has criticised India’s request for a ball change early on Day 2 of the Lord’s Test . The Dukes ball was changed twice in the first session of the third Test between India and England at Lord’s on Friday, as the Indian team, including captain Shubman Gill, appeared extremely unhappy with the ball losing its shape after just a few overs.
Jasprit Bumrah gave India a blistering start on the second day as he dismissed Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Chris Woakes within a span of seven deliveries. However, India weren’t happy with the balls and forced a change by the 90.3 overs when the new ball was only 10.3 overs old.
The replacement ball turned out to be less impactful and the match started to drift towards England. Jamie Smith led the charge for England with an aggressive knock as Indian bowlers struggled for rhythm.
Eventually, the replacement ball was changed again after just 48 deliveries as Gill was involved in an animated chat with on-field umpires .
Nasser Hussain questions India’s decision to change balls at Lord’s
Amid criticism of the Dukes balls and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) by Indian cricket team fans, Sky Sports expert and former England cricketer Nasser Hussain questioned India asking for a ball change after just 10.3 overs when Bumrah managed to take three wickets with it.
“Well, I really thought it was a very odd ball change from India,” Hussain told Sky Sports. “There’s two reasons you change a cricket ball. One because the umpires think it’s gone outta shape or two because the bowling attack and the captain realised that the ball’s doing nothing and you try and get the umpires to change it. The ball was doing everything this morning.
“The ball they had for 63 deliveries was zipping around corners. Bumrah was going through a magic spell. Siraj at the other end was having catches dropped. The ball was carrying through to the wicket-keeper. It was doing everything. It’s doing more than any stage in the Test match. I cannot work out why you’d want to change a ball that was doing this much, 63 deliveries of the ball zipping around.
Impact Shorts
View All“Not only did they wanted change, but the captain got really animated when they didn’t change it. I thought it was one of the most bizarre decisions. You’ve got a ball in your hand that’s doing a lot. We all know these Dukes balls are variable.”
Stuart Broad criticizes Dukes balls
Meanwhile, former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has disagreed with Hussain as he shared a different opinion on X. Broad said that the Dukes balls have been having a problem in lasting long for about five years now.
“The cricket ball should be like a fine wicket keeper. 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,” Broad wrote on X.
“Dukes have a problem. They need to fix it. A ball should last 80 overs. Not 10.”