What Happened to Dukes Cricket Balls?

It became a refrain during England’s 2025 home Test series against India: a bowler pauses, inspects the ball, shakes his head, and asks for a replacement. Umpires checking balls with the gauge repeatedly found them out of shape. At Lord’s, one second new ball was replaced after just over 10 overs, and its replacement lost its shape within eight overs and had to be changed again.

This is striking because the Dukes ball has long been the standard ball in English Test cricket, valued for its pronounced seam, swing, and durability. To hear top international players calling it “irritating” and demanding frequent changes was a sign of real trouble.

In this article, we look back at what went wrong with Dukes balls in 2025: the complaints, the manufacturer’s response, and what was proposed.

Historical Context: What Makes a Dukes Ball Special

The Dukes name has deep roots in British cricket. The balls are made by British Cricket Balls Ltd (BCBL), owned by Dilip Jajodia.

Traditionally, Duke balls are known for:

• A pronounced seam, stitched by hand.

• A hardened lacquered shell with multiple coatings.

• Good swing and seam movement in English conditions, especially early.

• Durability across long innings, with the expectation that a ball should last until a new one is due after 80 overs.

Compared to Kookaburra (used in many other countries) or the Indian SG balls, the Dukes ball is generally regarded as offering more seam and swing in English conditions. These attributes made it a preferred ball in England’s domestic and Test cricket.

The 2025 Controversy: Complaints & Incidents

In the 2025 England v India Test series, the Dukes ball became a focal point of friction. Several high-profile incidents brought accusations of ball failure into public view.

• Players from both sides complained that the ball lost shape too early, in one case at Lord’s after only about 10 overs, forcing replacements far sooner than expected.

• Speaking before the third Test at Lord’s in July 2025, Rishabh Pant said the ball was “getting out of shape” and called it “irritating” because “every ball plays differently.”

• Stuart Broad, the former England fast bowler, posted on X on 11 July 2025 that “Dukes have a problem. They need to fix it,” adding that “a ball should last 80 overs, not 10.”

• At the end of the second day at Lord’s, Joe Root suggested each team should get “three challenges every 80 overs and that’s it,” said the gauge rings “have to be the right size, not too big,” and argued the problem was not all on the manufacturer.

• Balls in several matches failed the umpires’ gauge check for shape and had to be replaced.

• On the second day of the third Test at Lord’s, on 11 July 2025, India captain Shubman Gill complained about the ball’s condition. It was replaced 10.4 overs into the second new ball, and India’s seamers were unhappy with the replacement offered, which itself had to be changed within eight overs.

Match flow has been disrupted by extended breaks and multiple ball inspections, shifting momentum, and irritating players and administrators alike.

Technical Explanations & Claims from the Dukes Side

The manufacturer did not ignore the criticisms. Its owner offered several responses.

• Natural materials variability: Jajodia pointed out that cricket balls are made from natural materials that vary from batch to batch, and that “you can’t test the ball before it goes into play.”

• Commitment to review: The ECB gathered used balls from the first three Tests to return to the manufacturer for examination. Jajodia said: “We will take it away, inspect, and then start talking to the tanner,” and “Everything we do will be reviewed.”

These explanations provide context, but the causes of the 2025 problems were not publicly established.

Fault Lines: What Critics Say Is Going Wrong

Critics and players voiced several complaints about the Dukes ball in 2025. These were observations from the field rather than measured findings:

• Shape loss/deformation: The ball reportedly “gets de-shaped” too early, losing its roundness, seam integrity, and structural tension.

• Softening/reduced hardness: As the ball becomes softer, it behaves inconsistently, less seam, less swing, less bounce. Some deliveries flatten out prematurely.

• Reduced movement: Observers say that after the early overs, the ball’s movement (swing or seam) tails off drastically, critics argue batters gain an advantage too soon.

• Comparison with other ball brands: Some compare the performance to Kookaburra or SG, arguing that those may hold shape marginally better in certain conditions, though those balls have their own complaints.

• Ring test inconsistencies: The ring or hoop test (passing the ball through a circular gauge to check roundness) is applied variably; critics suggest some replacements or inspections are too lenient.

The cumulative complaint: the ball is not playing to the expected standards of durability, fairness, and consistency, especially in conditions it was engineered for.

Impact on Matches & Players

Players and pundits argued that these issues affected strategy and the flow of play, though the effects were not measured.

• Bowling attacks disadvantaged: Bowlers expect to extract swing, seam, or bounce, but when the ball deteriorates too quickly, their planned spells lose potency.

• Batting dominance in later overs: As the ball softens, batting becomes easier, shifting innings momentum toward batters.

• Delays & disruptions: Frequent ball-change inspections and replacements slow the game, break bowler rhythm, and frustrate momentum.

• Trust erosion: Captains and bowlers may lose confidence in using aggressive fields or attacking plans if the ball’s trajectory is unpredictable.

• Match fairness concerns: If some innings use balls that degrade faster than others, it raises questions about level playing fields across sessions and matches.

That is why the issue drew so much attention in 2025.

What Dukes Could Do & What Has Been Proposed

Several remedies were suggested during and after the series. These are proposals, not confirmed changes to how the ball is made.

• Quality audits and batch testing: Thoroughly inspect all balls used, review defective batches, and trace back leather sourcing.

• Enhanced raw material standards: Use more controlled leather grades, improved tanning protocols, stricter curing, and consistent treatment.

• Adjust lacquer, seam reinforcement: Modify finishing coats, seam height, stitching tension and thread quality to keep seam integrity longer.

• Umpiring and ball test reform: Standardise or strengthen ring-test protocols, limit ball-change challenges per team to share responsibility.

• Transparent reporting: Publish quality reports, make public comparisons of ball performance to restore stakeholder confidence.

FAQs

Are Dukes balls being banned?

No. Dukes remained the ball for Test cricket in England, and in November 2025 it was confirmed that the counties would return exclusively to the Dukes ball for the 2026 County Championship after ending a Kookaburra trial.

Is the problem only in 2025, or did it start earlier?

Complaints occurred in earlier seasons too; Broad wrote in 2025 that it “feels like it’s been five years now.” The 2025 series saw a surge in loud criticism, with multiple matches involved.

Do other ball manufacturers have similar complaints?

Yes, Kookaburra and SG balls are also critiqued (especially for softening or reducing swing), but neither faced the same scrutiny in England in summer 2025.

Could Dukes fix this mid-series?

Not easily. During the series, the ECB collected used balls from the first three Tests for the manufacturer to examine, and Jajodia said everything the company does would be reviewed. We have not found a published outcome of that review.

Conclusion: Dukes Balls Under Scrutiny

For decades, Dukes cricket balls have been trusted for their swing, durability, and craftsmanship. But the 2025 England v India Test series brought that reputation under fire. Players, media, and commentators have repeatedly complained that balls are losing shape too early, softening unexpectedly, and altering match balance.

The manufacturer pointed to natural variation in raw materials and promised a review, while critics such as Broad said Dukes needed to fix the problem. The counties’ decision to use Dukes exclusively in the 2026 County Championship shows the ball remains central to English cricket.

The path forward involves honest review, technical rigor, and a commitment to consistency. Because a cricket ball isn’t just equipment, it’s central to the balance, fairness, and spirit of the game.