India are currently taking on England in a five-match Test Series for the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy. India trail 1-2 in the series, after the heartbreaking loss at Lord’s in the third match.
Time and again, in this Test series, the ball has come under immense scrutiny for not being hard enought. In fact, Shubman Gill, the Indian captain, was the first one to raise complaints about softness of the Duke’s ball. Throughout the course of the series, the balls had to be changed multiple times within the games by both India and England. Amidst this controversy, the company has finally is looking to take a major step.
Before the 4th Test at Manchester, the owner of Dukes, Dilip Jajodia has confirmed that he will inspect everything regarding the ball, including talking to the tanner and the procurement of raw materials. They will also make some changes if the need arises.
“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,” Jajodia said in an interaction with BBC Sports.
What Did Shubman Gill Say?
In the press conference after the victory in the second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, Shubman Gill had said that the ball gets out of shape very quickly which has made it difficult for the bowlers to get wickets on English conditions.
“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,”