Shubman Gill Blasted Over Ball Controversy By Ex-England Captain: 'Bizarre Decisions...'
Nasser Hussain blasted Shubman Gill for the ball controversy that grabbed headlines on Day 2 of the third Test encounter on Friday.
- Nasser Hussain criticised India for changing the ball despite Bumrah's strong bowling performance
- Hussain noted the variability of Dukes balls and advised sticking with a ball that aids the bowling attack
- "I thought it was one of the most bizarre decisions," the former England captain said on commentary
Former England cricket team captain Nasser Hussain blasted Shubman Gill for the ball controversy that grabbed headlines on Day 2 of the third Test encounter on Friday. The second new ball handed to be changed after just 63 deliveries as it got out of shape and could no longer pass the Ring Test. It left Gill fuming and even the replacement ball left the India cricketers fuming. However, Hussain believes that India should not have asked for a ball change in the first place as Jasprit Bumrah was performing brilliantly with the second new ball. The pacer took the wickets of Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes but following the change of balls, the visitors did not take any more wickets in the first session.
"It was a very odd ball change from India. There are two reasons you change a cricket ball. One, because the umpires think it's gone out of shape. Or two, because the bowling attack and the captain realise that the ball's doing nothing, and you try and get the umpires to change it. The ball was doing everything this morning. The ball they had for 63 deliveries was zipping round corners," Hussain said on Sky Sports.
"Bumrah was going through a magic spell. Siraj at the other end was having catches dropped. The ball carried through to the wicketkeeper. It was doing everything. It was doing more than at any stage in the Test match. I cannot work out why you'd want to change a ball that was doing this much. 63 deliveries of the ball zipping around. Not only did they want it changed, but the captain got really animated when they didn't change it. I thought it was one of the most bizarre decisions," he added.
Hussain added that it is well known that Dukes balls are 'variable' and it would have been better for Gill to stick to the ball that provided so much assistance to Bumrah.
"You've got a ball in your hand that's doing a lot. We all know these Dukes balls are variable. He's still on at the umpires about the ball change. Now maybe he's having a word with the umpires about this ball isn't as good as the last one. But that's the problem with trying to change a ball, is that if you've got a good one, stick with it," said Hussain.
"I thought it was a really odd thing, A, for India to do, and B, then to get really animated, and C, now to say, well, the ball we got is no good. Don't change the good one. Quite extraordinary. Change the ball, as you say, that was doing everything for Jasprit Bumrah," he added.
England Cricket Team
India Cricket Team