During Day 2 of the third Test at Lords between India and England, a persistent issue with the Dukes ball took centre stage, overshadowing even standout performances like Joe Root’s century and Jasprit Bumrah’s fiery spell. Team India repeatedly appealed to the umpires to change the ball due to shape concerns, with Shubman Gill visibly frustrated as he pointed out the problem multiple times. The umpires were seen checking the ball using the ring gauge throughout the morning session, occasionally replacing it, but the issue kept resurfacing, raising eyebrows on both sides.

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel also appeared confused and concerned from the dressing room balcony, highlighting the growing frustration within the camp. The situation caught the attention of former England pacer Stuart Broad, who criticised the state of the Dukes ball on social media. Broad remarked, “The cricket ball should be like a fine wicketkeeper — barely noticed… Dukes have a problem. They need to fix it. A ball should last 80 overs. Not 10.” His comments echoed the sentiment of many players and viewers who felt the frequent ball changes disrupted the flow of the game. Meanwhile, England battled to 387 in the first innings, led by gritty fifties from Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse.