Unhappy with SG, Kohli wants Dukes to be used for all Test matches

| | Hyderabad
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Unhappy with SG, Kohli wants Dukes to be used for all Test matches

Friday, 12 October 2018 | PTI | Hyderabad

India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday said that Test cricket across the globe should be played with the England-made Duke balls, expressing his displeasure at the poor quality of the SG balls that India use at home.

"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," Kohli said on the eve of the second Test against the West Indies.

Currently, there are no ICC specific guidelines and different countries use different balls.

While India use their home-made 'SG Test' from early '90s (Sonnex was the ball before that) manufactured by Meerut-based Sanspareils Greenlands, England and West Indies use the UK's Dukes with the most pronounced seam.

Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka use the Kookaburra.

Before Kohli, senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has also spoken about how he felt better bowling with the Kookaburra than 'SG Test'.

"A Dukes ball is still good quality, Kookaburra is still good quality. Whatever limitations a Kookaburra might have (seam goes flat), the quality is never compromised," Kohli explained.

"The seamers as well are benefitted if the ball is hard, you can get that extra pace but if the ball goes so soft in 10-12 overs, then your effort comes down by 20 per cent. I think the quality of the ball has to be maintained, there's no doubt about that.

Kookaburra balls are machine-made and have low seam, while the India-made SG balls are handmade and have a wide seam.

Duke balls are manufactured in England and are handmade. They darker in colour compared to SG and Kookaburras due to the coating of lacquer.

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