India vs England: Joe Root downplays the issues with Dukes at Lord's

After leveling the series at Edgbaston, the visitors arrived at the Home of Cricket with their sights set on taking the lead. The hosts chose to bat first in the third India vs England Test at Lord's. The Indian bowling unit, which included Jasprit Bumrah this time, faced multiple challenges, chief among them being a century from Joe Root on a flat pitch. While India came prepared for such tests, dealing with the inconsistent quality of the Dukes ball used in the series may not have been on their radar.

Early on Day 2, the cherry, just 10 overs old, lost its shape, with the disfiguration significant enough for the umpires to approve a replacement. The quality of the replacement provided, futhermore, triggered the Indian captain, Shubman Gill and pacer Mohammed Siraj at Lord's. However, by the end of the day’s play, centurion Joe Root brushed off the difficulties posed by the cherry to the bowling camp.

Joe Root brings 'skills' into the debate as Dukes ball faces scrutiny during third India vs England Test

Three matches into the India vs England series, and the Dukes has emerged as the primary concern for the visitors. The first Test at Headingley saw Rishabh Pant face an ICC sanction after losing his temper while requesting a new ball due to the deterioration of the cherry. The second fixture ended with Indian captain Shubman Gill strongly criticising the ball's quality despite their win at Edgbaston. The ongoing Lord's Test, meanwhile, saw Gill and pacer Mohammed Siraj engage in a fiery exchange with the umpire, displeased with the replacement ball they received for the 10-over-old, warped Dukes.

The red ball consistently getting on the nerves of the visitors may not be an exaggeration. A new ball losing its shape after just 10 overs raises questions about the quality of Test cricket that England aims to uphold. Preparing flat decks might be a tactical move to give the home side an edge. However, the issue is further amplified when cherries repeatedly fail the gauge test after short intervals. Yet, first the English captain Ben Stokes, and now Joe Root, have downplayed the impact of the Dukes ball on the series.

After concluding Day 2 of the third India vs England Test at Lord's, the centurion of the day's play, Joe Root addressed the media. In his interaction, Root came across the query about the quality of the balls used in the series. Root proposed a bold solution to the ongoing debate over the Dukes ball, suggesting that teams should be allowed up to three ball changes within every 80 overs.

According to him, this rule could help reduce mounting frustration caused by frequent interruptions due to deteriorating balls. It remains to be seen if the management looks into the matter and offers a viable solution in the upcoming matches of the series.

"I personally think that if you want to keep getting the ball changed, then each team gets three challenges every 80 overs and that's it, if you want to get it changed," Root said.  "But the rings have to be the right size, not too big," he added.

Citing India's concerns as a case in point, Root referred to how Jasprit Bumrah had triggered a sharp collapse by taking three wickets in just 14 balls. But once the ball was replaced, the momentum shifted. The Indian bowlers struggled to extract anything from the surface, allowing Brydon Carse and Jamie Smith to guide England comfortably past the 350-run mark. Surprisingly, just 48 deliveries after that replacement, the ball had to be changed again, further fuelling criticism of the Dukes ball from across the cricketing world.

"That would be a nice way of compromising and saying it's not all on the manufacturer. Sometimes these things happen, but you can't just keep asking and wasting time and slowing the game down at the same time," said Root.

Root also appeared to take a veiled jab at India, remarking that players need to simply deal with the conditions rather than constantly holding up play. He emphasised that the game suffers when time is wasted over repeated complaints. Moreover, the seasoned batter went on to say that one needs to be skillful enough to adapt to the changes.

"It's one of those things where if the balls are going out of shape, you change them, and you don't make a big deal out of it. I don't think it's the end of the world. I think it adds a different dynamic to the game and you've got to be skilful enough to adapt to the changes, whether it stops swinging or starts swinging or does a little bit more," Root further added.