Virat Kohli & Co are not idiots to ask for Dukes, says Indian-origin owner of ball manufacturer
Kohli asked for Dukes to replace SG balls earlier this month, but Azharuddin dismissed criticism of the currently used SG balls on the ground that they helped India dominate on home grounds since the early 1990s.
Dilip Jajodia, owner of the company that makes the legendary Dukes cricket balls, on Thursday said captain Virat Kohli and bowlers Umesh Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav are “not idiots” when they ask for Dukes to be used, adding ex-captain Mohammed Azharuddin is wrong on the issue.
Kohli asked for Dukes to replace SG balls earlier this month, but Azharuddin dismissed criticism of the currently used SG balls on the ground that they helped India dominate on home grounds since the early 1990s.
With a history going back to 1760, Dukes balls have long been used in England and various countries, but since there are no specific ICC guidelines, different countries use different balls during encounters at home.
Jajodia said various considerations influence the choice of balls such as Dukes, SG and Kookaburra, but the quality of Dukes based on long-standing manufacturing procedures has led to players such as Kohli, R Ashwin and Shane Warne calling for it to be used in all Test matches.
“I know Azharuddin very well. I respect his views, but he is wrong on this. Kohli, Umesh Yadav and others are not idiots to ask for Dukes even after winning handsomely against the West Indies in India. Azhar may be telling an old, out-of-date story”, Jajodia said.
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“It is incorrect to suggest that the same ball be used in all cricket matches all over the world, for the simple reason that not all pitches are the same. The solution is to have bespoke balls, suited for local conditions, but adhering to the same high standards as that of Dukes”.
Pakistan, he said, had recently adopted the long-lasting Dukes balls, besides Australia in the Sheffield Shield. The interest of the game should be uppermost in the mid while selecting a ball for use in a country, the India-born Jajodia added.
“Kohli came up on his own with the demand for Dukes in a press conference. The bowlers complained even though they did well against the West Indies, much against what Azhar has said. There is no issue at all about the suitability of Dukes balls in Indian conditions”.
Kohli said on the eve of the second Test: “The Dukes ball, I think, is the most suited ball for Test cricket. If there’s a situation I would vouch for that to be used all over the world because of the consistency of the ball and how the bowlers are in the game at any stage, even the spinners, because the seam is so hard and upright.”
However, refuting Kohli’s call, Azharuddin said a few days later: “ It was in 1993 when the SG was first introduced and India went on to dominate all cricket they played at home. Look at the overall country-wise average of bowlers bowling with different balls in different conditions. That will give you the answer. So, what’s the fuss about?”
Jajodia, who came to England in 1962 to study and went on to become a chartered insurance practitioner and pension fund manager, bought the legendary Dukes company in 1987. The company was established in 1760, when production began in the Tonbridge area of Kent.
“Cricket has always been a passion for me. I think I have served cricket well over the years. I played with Brijesh Patel in school in Bengaluru, but could not take it further than club cricket in England”.
“But, we have welcomed top Indian cricketers at our Woodford Wells Cricket Club, including Ashok Mankad, BS Chandrashekar, G Vishwanath and Abid Ali,” Jajodia said in his modest office in east London.
His company sells over 1,00,000 balls every year in various countries, many of them tailored to local conditions and surfaces. Most of the Dukes balls are hand-stitched abroad, and brought to the United Kingdom for further processing and finishing touches to retain its quality.