BCCI writes to the makers of SG balls to review its quality

Post Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin's reservations against the SG balls, Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) has asked the makers of SG balls, the one that’s being used in the ongoing India-England series, to review its quality.  Paras Anand, SG’s marketing Director confirmed that they’ve received a request from the BCCI to look into the matter.

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“We told them we will assess. Since some players have complained about the pitch. We will have to assess the ball's reaction on such wickets also.” 

“We will definitely find something which can endure. We will look for a material which can endure a hard and abrasive surface also as well as the impact,” said Anand

Despite India’s concern over its quality, the same set of SG balls will be available for the second Test that gets underway on February 13th. Following a massive loss in the first match, Virat Kohli lashed out at the makers of the SG ball for its poor quality. 

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"The quality of balls, honestly, wasn't something we were pleased to see, because that has been the issue in the past as well. Just for the ball to get destroyed in 60 overs is not something that you experience as a Test side and it is not something any Test side could be prepared for.”

Along with Kohli, ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also expressed his disappointment for the same.

"It was very bizarre for us. I have never seen an SG ball tear through the seam like that. 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 or the 40th over, the seam started to peel off.”

This is not the first time that Kohli has complained about the quality of the SG ball. Earlier, in West Indies tour of India in 2018, Kohli was unhappy about the quality of the balls used in the match. England thrashed India by 227 runs in the first Test, taking a 1-0 lead in the 4 match series. India now can’t afford to lose a Test if they are to meet New Zealand in the summit clash of the World Test Championship.