Heatwave In The UK Impacts The Lord's Test In Unexpected Ways, Frequent Ball Changes In The Third IND vs ENG Test Turns The Spotlight On Dukes Ball

IND vs ENG: The third Test match of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series continues to be a matter of huge debate for an alarming reason. Frequent ball changes in the Lord's Test match has not only raised the eyebrows of cricket fans but also the ex-players and the experts of the game. England is one of the most challenging places to play cricket, and this has been the case for many decades now, but this English summer feels a bit different from the previous ones.

The Dukes ball and its specifications makes batting in England tough. Dukes has always been a ball that is hand-stitched, has more pronounced seam, and continues to remain hard for the longer duration of the game. The ball's behaviour also depends on the weather and the condition of the pitch. With the sun beating down in England and temperature soaring over 34 degrees in England this week, the behaviour and the sustainability of the ball has been put under some real test.

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Is The Dukes Failing The Heatwave Test? Joe Root Answers The Million Dollar Question

The second day of the Lord's Test saw a big controversy erupt around the Dukes ball. India had to opt for a ball change just after 10.3 overs were bowled as it failed the ring test after going out of shape. What was more alarming is the fact that the ball change didn't last enough and it was replaced again after another eight overs.

The United Kingdom is currently experiencing its warmest spring. June 2025 was the warmest month in the country, and a third heatwave has already started to show its effect. Former English captain Joe Root opined that not much can't be done about the Dukes going out of shape and both the teams will have to adapt.

"I don't know the ins and outs of how they make it. I do think this summer has been a bit of an anomaly for us. We're not used to getting this much sun and this much heat and squares as hard and outfields as firm so whether that plays a part or not," said the former England skipper.

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Stuart Broad Gives His Verdict On Frequent Ball Changes

Former English pacer Stuart Broad gave a very blunt opinion on the Dukes going out of shape in short intervals. Broad shared a tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter) and said that Dukes need to identify the issue and fix it as a Test match ball is expected to last for eighty odd overs and it is unacceptable to change the ball virtually every innings.