Dukes Ball Gets Harder In Manchester? Chris Woakes Delivery Breaks Jaiswal's Bat: Watch
Has the Dukes ball become harder coming to Manchester? That question surfaced on Wednesday during the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Old Trafford, following an unusual incident involving India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. The left-hander was left surprised when his bat broke while defending a delivery from England pacer Chris Woakes.
The incident occurred in the ninth over of India's innings. Woakes bowled a short-length delivery, and Jaiswal attempted a back-foot defence. However, he was stunned when the ball struck the bat and snapped it near the neck. The impact was severe enough to bend the willow noticeably, forcing an immediate halt in play.
Jaiswal had to replace his bat before the match resumed, and the moment sparked speculation over whether the manufacturers of the Dukes ball have made changes to it after a series of backlash from the players.
The Dukes ball has been dealing with criticism in the ongoing Test series between India and England. With unusually dry conditions and flat pitches this summer, wickets have been hard to come by. In the first two Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, both teams have repeatedly requested ball changes, citing how quickly it softens.
Dukes ball manufacturer, Dilip Jagjodia, even responded to the uproar, stating that a 'really hard' ball would end up breaking the bats of the batters.
'If I made a really hard ball, it would have broken bats," Jagjodia was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.
'That's the problem, we have to be careful. If people are adventurous players, they might be tempted to do it. That would be disastrous. The laws of the game are that the ball has to deteriorate over 80 overs. So, the ball has to play 80 overs, it gradually gets worse. You can't suddenly come after 20 overs and say, this ball is not doing what I want or what it does,"
'If there is something genuinely wrong, then it has the option to change it," he added.
Jagjodia asserted that making a cricket ball is a lengthy process carried out to a set standard. He explained that they adhere strictly to the original British guidelines and, being a stickler for rules, he ensures everything is done to the best of their ability.
We're making the balls to the original British standard. I'm a very stickler for the rules, I make sure that we do the best we can. I select the balls personally, I present them, and if you look at them, they are the most beautiful things on the planet. When you play with them, that's out of my control," Jagjodia had said.
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