WTC Final 2023: Don’t mind Ricky Ponting, India vs Australia WT Final will be played with the Dukes ball and not Kookaburra. Ponting said both teams agreed to play with the Australian variant of red cherry instead of the darker and more swing-friendly Dukes following complaints of degrading quality. A senior BCCI official has confirmed that India Cricket Team will play with Dukes for the June 7 match in Oval. Follow World Test Championship Final LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“No, we are playing with Dukes. Our guys have already begun practice with Dukes. The pacers were given Dukes during IPL to prepare for the final. We haven’t heard anything about the change of ball. I don’t know from where Ponting picked that up,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
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Dukes is the primary cricket ball supplier in England. But of late, there have been complaints of poor quality Dukes balls. The balls are known to last longer than Kookaburra or SG red balls. However, in the last two years, there have been complaints from players in England that the Dukes are losing shape and getting softer faster. Instead of 50-60 overs, the balls are losing shape within 20-30 overs.
Two of the best Test pacers of all time James Anderson and Stuart Broad had also complained about the poor quality of the balls last season. However, things seem to have changed post-Covid. The quality of the balls took a hit due to lockdowns in the UK. However, with restrictions over, the quality control and material required for the ball are available easily.
“They (the tannery that manufactures the leather for the balls) had problems getting the right chemicals, they had to use substitute chemicals. There is a sequence that takes place. You put the leather in a pit, it sits there for x number of days at x temperature. That was all disrupted. They did admit that everything hadn’t gone to plan because of the covid closedown,” Dilip Jajodia told The Telegraph.
However, the problems seem to be sorted and Dukes are expected to be back to their best this English summer. Hence, when India take on Australia on June 7 at Oval, Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj will let their skills do the talking.
WTC Final 2023: Why Dukes vs Kookaburra is even a debate?
- Every team that visits England face difficulty in handling Dukes ball.
- The heavy lacquer on Dukes ball helps the ball retain its swing for nearly 60 overs.
- After 60 overs, the ball gets a reverse swing and with cloudy conditions in England, pacers use that to their advantage.
- As SG and Kookaburra lose shine and get softer by 30 overs, it gets easier for the batters to play those deliveries.
- However, against Dukes, it is a difficult affair. Batters struggle against the extra swing.
- Hence, batters and bowlers alike need special preparation to face and use Dukes.
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