India captain Shubman Gill was seen having a heated conversation with the umpires after the ball was checked and failed to pass through the standard hoop used to test its roundness. Mohammed Siraj also looked visibly frustrated. Even during the drinks break, Gill continued speaking animatedly with the officials, clearly unhappy with the replacement ball. But the issue didn’t end there. Just eight overs later, after only 48 more deliveries — the ball had to be changed once again. This added to the growing concern around the quality of the Dukes ball, which has been questioned repeatedly in this series. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar weighed in on the situation during commentary. He pointed out how the ball already looked like it had done 20 overs of work instead of just 10. Gavaskar added that if such issues had happened in India, the British media would likely have raised a storm.
Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad also voiced his displeasure. Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Broad said, “The cricket ball should be like a fine wicketkeeper. Barely noticed.” He called the frequent ball changes unacceptable and said that Dukes needs to fix the problem. “A ball should last 80 overs. Not 10,” he added.
Poll
Do you agree with Sunil Gavaskar’s comments ?
Meanwhile, on the field, Jasprit Bumrah stole the morning session with a fiery spell that handed him a five-wicket haul, helping India bowl England out for 387. In reply, India reached 145 for 3 at stumps, with KL Rahul steady on 58* and Rishabh Pant playing fluently despite a finger injury. The ball may have been a talking point, but Bumrah and Rahul made sure India stayed firmly in the contest.
