Shubman Gill Gets Angry At Umpires During India vs England Lord's Test; Know What Happened Onfield

The quality of the Dukes ball became a hot topic during the third India vs England Test. On Friday, India's captain Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj were seen in a heated discussion with the umpire over the condition of the ball. The second new ball, taken on Thursday at the 80-over mark, was already causing issues by Friday.

Indian captain Shubman Gill expressed dissatisfaction with the ball's condition, which was only about 10 overs old. The umpires decided to change it after it failed a hoop test. However, Gill was not pleased with the replacement either. "This is 10-overs old ball? Seriously?" Siraj's voice was captured on the stump mic.

Players' Frustration Over Ball Quality

Shubmab Gill 's frustration was evident as he snatched the ball from the umpire's hands during their conversation. Despite his protests, the umpire dismissed his concerns.

Sunil Gavaskar, from the commentary box, supported India's stance, noting that even from afar, it looked more like a 20-over-old ball.

Before this match, Rishabh Pant had criticised the quality of Dukes balls used in this series against England. He mentioned he had never seen them lose shape so drastically before. Players frequently approached umpires to request ball changes due to this issue.

Impact on Game Dynamics

The bowlers struggled as the balls softened quickly, limiting their effectiveness and confining contests to when new balls were used. Pant highlighted that this inconsistency is problematic for cricket. "The gauge should be consistent," he said, adding humorously that smaller gauges might help.

Pant explained that once a ball softens, it behaves differently and requires constant adjustment from batsmen. He found this situation frustrating and not beneficial for cricket overall.

Challenges for Batsmen

Rishabh Pant shared his experience of dealing with these unpredictable balls. "What I've seen, the ball is getting de-shaped too much," he noted. This irregularity forces batsmen to constantly adapt their play style.