Dukes’ owner eyes Indian market

There’s a new management in place at the BCCI and Dukes’ owner Dilip Jajodia is seeking to impress upon them about the high quality of the cricket balls produced by his company in the hope of the Indian board using his product in time to come.

“I’m in India on a business cum personal visit but I’ve got an appointment to meet BCCI officials in Mumbai on Monday,” revealed Jajodia in a chat with DH. “A lot of players have been speaking highly about the quality of Dukes ball and I felt like giving a demonstration of it to the BCCI. I’m also aware that India will finally play Day/Night Tests at the Eden Gardens and there’s been plenty of debate about the quality of pink balls used.

“A lot of players have been critical of the pink ball, saying it lost its colour very soon, it can’t be sighted properly during twilight, the seam is not as pronounced and lasting as the red ball etc. Just to reiterate they were not Dukes. I’m here to show BCCI how good the quality of the Dukes pink ball is. I’ve got with me the ball that was used during the England-West Indies Day/Night Test in August 2017. It was used for 80 overs and there’s been no damage to it. I’m going to explain to them why the Dukes is so good.”

The pink ball has been talked about at length in this part of the world ever since BCCI announced the second Test between India and Bangladesh would be a day-night affair. Jajodia, who will be delivering the General KS Thimayya Memorial Lecture at his alumni Bishop Cotton Boys’ School on Saturday, weighed his thoughts on the subject.

“Basic construction is exactly the same. It is just the leather which is treated differently. We dye through, put pigment on the top which is a bright colour and we preserve it through polish which is our own made. Other than that, the seam colour is different, it’s black but it is the same thread. So a bowler should feel very comfortable. There is no difference.”

India currently uses SG balls for Test matches at home.