The India-England 5-match test series is leveled at 1-1 currently and fans are eager to see how both the teams will perform at Lord’s where the third match of the series is being played from 10 July, i.e., today. However, the Dukes ball are also getting a lot of attention as recently India’s Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant expressed his dissatisfaction with the quality of the Dukes ball being used in the ongoing Test series against England.
Rishabh Pant believes that the measurement standards for Test balls, whether Dukes or Kookaburra, should be uniform. He even jokingly suggested it would be better if the balls were slightly smaller, highlighting the discomfort players are facing due to the current conditions.
The Dukes ball, traditionally favored in the English conditions, has become a major point of concern in this series. According to Rishabh Pant, the ball is going out of shape far too often, something he claims he’s never experienced before. His captain Shubman Gill had also raised similar concerns, particularly about how the ball behaves once it becomes soft, making it less effective for bowlers. This has led to frequent interruptions as players regularly request ball changes during the match.
Rishabh Pant pointed out how unpredictable and inconsistent the ball has been, saying that it becomes a challenge for players when each ball behaves differently. Once the Dukes ball softens, it loses its ability to assist bowlers, especially fast bowlers, turning the contest into a brief battle limited only to the new ball’s early overs.
India recently secured a dominant 336-run victory at Edgbaston, where they fielded a combination of two spinners and three pacers. Looking ahead to the Lord’s Test, Rishabh Pant mentioned that the pitch there might offer more difficulty for batters but did not confirm whether the team would stick to the same bowling combination.
When asked about the pitch conditions at Lord’s and whether they would impact team strategy, Pant explained that the final decision would be taken closer to the match, as the nature of the pitch can change significantly over a couple of days, in terms of both colour and moisture levels.
Rishabh Pant also made it clear that the Indian team is prepared to play in any condition and is not concerned about what strategies the opposition might adopt. He emphasised that their focus remains solely on their own preparation and performance, rather than on what changes the other side may or may not make.
All the best, team India!
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