3 changes in SG Ball after Virat Kohli's objection, Team India calls ball bizarre

Team India had also complained about SG Ball earlier

SG-Ball Virat-Kohli-SG-Ball Changes-In-SG-Ball

India had to face defeat in the first match of the Test series started between India and England. Sanspareils Greenlands i.e. SG's modified ball was used in the match. It was said that this will help the spinners as well as the fast bowlers. Team India had also complained about SG Ball earlier. SG then worked on the ball afresh. The new ball was used for the first time in the first Test against England 18 months later, but Team India is still not happy with the quality of the ball.

In the post-match press conference, Virat said, "The wicket was flat and slow and the quality of the ball as well wasn’t something that we were very pleased to see because that has been an issue in the past as well. Just for the ball’s seam to be completely destroyed in 60 overs is not something that you experience as a Test side and something any Test side could be prepared for."

Ashwin said, "I have never seen an SG ball tear (get) through the seam like that. So it could well be a combination of how hard the pitch was on the first two days, even in the second innings after the 35th-40th over, the seam was getting sort of peeled off,” Ashwin said. “It was bizarre, I mean, I haven’t seen an SG ball like that in the last so many years, but yeah, maybe it could be due to the pitch and the hardness of it through the center which is making the ball get scuffed up."

Now, SG has made three changes in the ball and has assured that the ball will be in a better condition than before:

First Change: Reduced variation in the ball

The seam (i.e. stitch) of the ball has been worked on. Its consistency has been further improved, which makes it better for gripping for the entire 80 overs. In simple language, now the size of the ball will not change much. Previously, the stitch was loose while playing, which reduced the ball's diameter by 1 mm, but now it will be reduced to 0.25 mm, that is, if the ball was of 72 mm diameter, it would be reduced to 71 mm, But now even if it is old, it will be only 71.75 mm.

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The grip on the bowlers' ball will be better. Spinners in particular will benefit from this. Due to better grip, they will be able to rotate the ball more. At the same time, fast bowlers will also be able to land on the seam with a better grip. This will allow the bowler to bowl with more control.

Second Change: Hardness of cork inside the ball is improved

The density of the cork wood inside the ball is fixed at a minimum level. If the density of cork is less than that minimum level, it does not get used. Due to this, the hardness of each ball is consistent. However, the company has not said how much the density level will be. There are reports in the media of increasing the cork size. However, the company denies this. This will improve the bounce of the ball. The hardness of the ball will last from 50 to 60 overs. This will help the bowlers. In 2018, due to the hardness of Duke Ball, Kohli advocated using it in Tests.

Third Change: Color darkened

Some changes have also been made to the color of the ball. The new ball is in darker red color than before. The company describes this change as psychological. Paras Anand, marketing director of SG, says that I talked to many players of Team India, all said that the dark shade of the ball is better. At the suggestion of the players, its shade is slightly overworked.


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