Root proposes new guidelines for ball change

England batter Joe Root, after scoring his 37th Test century at Lord’s, proposed allowing three ball change challenges per innings to counter issues with the Dukes ball. He also surpassed Rahul Dravid’s record for most Test catches by a non-wicketkeeper.

HYDERABAD: England star batter Joe Root, who notched up his 37th Test century when he scored 10 against India in the third Test at Lord’s on Friday, proposed that each team be given three chances to swap the ball over the course of 80 overs in a bid to ease frustration over the repeated changing of the Dukes ball during England’s home Test series with India.

“I personally think that if you want to keep getting the ball changed then each team gets three challenges every 80 overs and that’s it, if you want to get it changed,” Root said when asked about the issue at the close of play. “But the rings have to be the right size, not too big,” Root said after the second day’s play.

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“That would be a nice way of compromising and saying it’s not all on the manufacturer. Sometimes these things happen, but you can’t just keep asking and wasting time and slowing the game down at the same time,” he said.

“I don’t know the ins and outs of how they make it,” he said. “I do know that they’re handmade, so you’re never going to get two balls exactly the same. I do think this summer has been a bit of an anomaly for us. We’re not used to getting this much sun and this much heat and squares as hard and outfields as firm, so whether that plays a part or not,” Root said.

“It’s one of those things where if the balls are going out of shape, you change them, and you don’t make a big deal out of it. I don’t think it’s the end of the world. I think it adds a different dynamic to the game and you’ve got to be skilful enough to adapt to the changes, whether it stops swinging or starts swinging or does a little bit more,” he explained.

“I don’t want to get myself in trouble by trying to rewrite the thing, but I think that’s one way of policing the ball thing,” Root said. “In terms of over rates, it can be quite difficult on a day like today. We’re not used to this, are we? Thirty degrees in England feels like 45 elsewhere. But I guess just try and keep on top of it as much as you can,” Root said.

Root was understandably delighted to break India’s Rahul Dravid’s world record tally of 211 catches in Test cricket. “I’ll be watching it back, for sure,” Root told Test Match Special. “It should’ve been a long time ago. There have been a few drops in there, but it was an important one, so nice to cling on to it and keep contributing in the field today,” he said.