In Short
- Alastair Cook humorously addressed bowlers blaming the Dukes ball
- Indian players frustrated by refusal to change ball in third Test
- Nasser Hussain called India’s ball change requests bizarre
Former England captain Alastair Cook has weighed in-humorously-on the growing debate around the Dukes ball in the ongoing five-match Test series between England and India. While the action on the field has been compelling, much of the off-field discussion has revolved around the ball’s shape and condition.
After England’s dramatic win at Lord’s, which gave them a 2-1 lead in the series, Cook took a playful jab at bowlers for habitually blaming the ball when things don’t go their way.
“I just love how bowlers are always moaning,” Cook said with a smile on BBC Sport. “It’s like they bowl a bad ball and it’s never their fault. They’ve scraped the footmark If they bowl a bad ball, they look at the ball and blame the shape.”
Cook’s remarks come amid mounting scrutiny of the Dukes ball throughout the series. During the third Test, Indian players were visibly frustrated when umpires refused their Day 2 request to change the ball, prompting debate over its performance. On several occasions, players could be seen examining the ball and discussing its behaviour on the field.
Still, Cook acknowledged that the ball’s condition can affect play-particularly for batters.
“I think a batsman would much rather hit some slightly harder ball,” he added. “Nothing worse than playing a lovely cover drive like I used to and it going nowhere.”
While Cook kept the tone light, others have responded more critically. Fellow former England captain Nasser Hussain slammed India’s repeated requests for a ball change in the third Test, calling it “one of the most bizarre decisions,” especially considering how much the ball was swinging at the time.
“I cannot work out why you’d want to change a ball that was doing this much,” Hussain said during the broadcast. “It didn’t make much sense.”
The issue has added another layer to an already fascinating series, where conditions, momentum, and tactical approaches have shifted constantly. Some argue the ball’s shape and condition have genuinely impacted match outcomes. Others believe it’s become a convenient excuse when plans fall short.
As the series moves to Old Trafford for the fourth Test on July 23, India must win to stay alive. Whether the ball becomes a talking point again remains to be seen-but it’s clear the Dukes has already made its mark on this series, both literally and figuratively.
And if you ask Alastair Cook, some of the fuss might just be bowlers dodging blame-one full toss at a time.
