Nasser Hussain Rips Captain Shubman Gill and Team India for Ball Change Drama

Nasser Hussain criticized the umpires, after England also complained about the condition of the ball to add to the fiasco towards the end of Day 2.

Nasser Hussain Rips Captain Shubman Gill and Team India for Ball Change Drama

Nasser Hussain slammed Indian captain Shubman Gill for his ball change request on Day 2, calling it an 'odd' decision. (via Hindustan Times)

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The controversy surrounding the Dukes ball has extended into the third Test at Lord’s as well. Ex-England captain Nasser Hussain however, ripped into Indian captain Shubman Gill’s decision to request a ball change after it had been in use for only ten overs.

The famous Dukes ball has faced significant scrutiny throughout the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Both India and England have complained about how the ball loses its shape quicker than it used to before, making it challenging for bowlers to dictate the seam and swing movement or to take wickets. They have also noted how the ball quickly loses its hardness and becomes soft early in the matches.

The tensions over the ball were clearly visible during the first two Tests at Headingley and Edgbaston, marked by frequent requests for replacements. On one instance in Leeds, England asked for a change as early as the 14th over of their second innings. Indian vice-captain Rishabh Pant also narrowly avoided an ICC penalty after engaging in a heated argument with the on-field umpire regarding a ball change request.

These concerns extended well into the third Test at Lord’s, with frustrations leading to a boiling point around the hour mark on Day 2. Although India opted for a new ball at the latter stages of Day 1, captain Shubman Gill was unsatisfied with its condition on the second day and requested a change after only ten overs of use. Surprisingly, the replacement ball turned out to be way less impactful, as a result of which it was also swapped out for a third ball, just eight overs later.

Shubman Gill was even seen having an animated chat with the on-field umpires, voicing concerns about the replacement ball being offered. All of this drama prompted a host of reactions from former players, including ex-England skipper Nasser Hussain. Hussain specifically questioned Gill’s decision to request a ball change so early on Day 2, since Jasprit Bumrah was already finding success with the previous one.

It was a very odd ball change from India…The ball was doing everything this morning. [Jasprit] Bumrah was going through a magic spell. [Mohammed] Siraj at the other hand was having catches dropped.

Speaking on Sky Sports, the 57-year-old questioned India’s tactics, labeling the decision to change the ball an ‘odd’ one. He emphasized that the ball used early on Day 2 was doing exceptionally well, noting Bumrah’s spell where he claimed three quick wickets in two successive overs. He termed the decision by Gill to change the ball midway, despite being benefited by it as ‘bizarre’, especially since the replacement ball offered way less movement:

I cannot work out why you’d want to change a ball that was doing this much, sixty-three deliveries of the ball zipping round… I thought it was one of the most bizarre decisions.

Although Nasser Hussain agreed that the Dukes ball had lost its utility, he stated that India squandered the opportunity to dominate the England batting unit on Day 2, despite having a variable ball in hand. As a result, the Three Lions were able to finish their first innings with 387 runs on the board.

Ex-England Captain Nasser Hussain Touts Jamie Smith as ‘Serious Player’ for the Future

Ex-England captain Nasser Hussain lauded Jamie Smith’s abilities, and touted him to be a ‘serious player’ for the future. The young wicket-keeper batter scored a quick-fire 51-run knock off 56 deliveries, in the first innings of the Lord’s Test. 

Nasser Hussain on Jamie Smith
Nasser Hussain lauded young English wicket-keeper Jamie Smith as a ‘serious player’. (via Latestly)

Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse were instrumental on Day 2, spearheading England’s charge past the 350-run mark. Commenting on the 25-year-old’s performance, Hussain exclaimed that Smith is currently in the ‘form of his life’ and has become a pivotal player in the Three Lions’ lower batting order. Hussain touted Smith as a ‘serious player’ who is expected to play a vital role for the side in the future.

Jamie Smith has enjoyed a brilliant outing against India this summer so far, and is England’s highest run-getter in the series. In five innings, he has scored 407 runs at an impressive average of 135.67, and a strike rate of 86.78, hitting a hundred and two fifties.