Ball Quality Concerns Unite England and India Stars Ahead of Lord’s Test
England captain Ben Stokes and India’s wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant have found common ground ahead of the third Test at Lord’s – both are frustrated with the Dukes balls that keep going soft too quickly during play.
The unusual sight of players from both teams repeatedly approaching umpires for ball changes in Leeds and Birmingham has become a major talking point. Stokes even questioned whether the measuring gauge used by officials is suitable for Dukes balls.
“Whenever we have touring teams visiting, there is an issue with the balls going soft and completely out of shape,” Stokes said at his pre-match press conference. “I don’t even think the rings that we use are Dukes rings. It isn’t ideal. But you have to deal with it.”
The Gauge Controversy
The umpires use a special gauge with two rings to check if a ball is still fit for play. The ball must pass through one ring but not the other to be considered in proper shape. However, bowlers have been left frustrated when their requests for replacements are denied, despite the ball clearly losing its hardness and seam.
Pant’s frustration boiled over during the second day at Leeds when he threw the ball into the ground after umpires refused to change it. The ICC reprimanded him with one demerit point for the incident, which he accepted.
When told about Stokes’ comments, Pant jokingly suggested the gauge rings could be “smaller” but agreed the situation was becoming “irritating” for players. “In this series, the ball is getting de-shaped too much. That’s something I’ve never seen,” the Indian vice-captain said.
Impact on the Game
India’s captain Shubman Gill went further, suggesting the combination of flat pitches and soft balls was damaging Test cricket’s essence. “If you know there is only 20 overs of any help and then you have to spend the rest of the day on the defensive, thinking how to stop runs, then the game loses its essence,” Gill explained.
The issue affects batting too. Pant noted that constant ball changes force batsmen to keep adjusting their approach. “When it becomes softer, sometimes it doesn’t do too much, but as soon as you change the ball it starts to do something,” he said.
Both teams have struggled with this throughout the series. Stokes admitted that “every bowling team seems to struggle with it” and called the situation at Edgbaston last week “a big issue.”
As the teams prepare for Lord’s, this shared grievance adds an intriguing subplot to an already fascinating series tied at 1-1. While both captains will focus on winning, they’re united in hoping for better quality balls that maintain the balance between bat and ball that makes Test cricket special.
