Joe Root proposes limit to how often teams can request ball changes

Joe Root has proposed that each team be given three chances to swap the ball over the course of 80 overs in a bid to ease frustration over the repeated changing of the Dukes ball during England's home Test series with India.

His suggestion, at the end of the second day's play in the third Test at Lord's, came after India had expressed their displeasure with the replacement for the second new ball, which came after just 10.3 overs of use.

Jasprit Bumrah had taken three wickets in his first 14 deliveries with the original, but his side was unable to take another during the first session with Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse at the crease.

The ball was changed again, 48 deliveries after the previous change, the incident adding to criticism of the Dukes ball during this series, and dating back five years, over its loss of shape and becoming soft too quickly.

"I personally think that if you want to keep getting the ball changed then each team gets three challenges every 80 overs and that's it, if you want to get it changed," Root said when asked about the issue at the close of play. "But the rings have to be the right size, not too big.

"That would be a nice way of compromising and saying it's not all on the manufacturer. Sometimes these things happen but you can't just keep asking and wasting time and slowing the game down at the same time."

But Root, who had been unbeaten on 99 overnight and brought up his 37th Test century with the first ball of the morning, also suggested teams needed to adapt to conditions regardless and get on with the game.

"I don't know the ins and outs of how they make it," he said. "I do know that they're handmade so you're never going to get two balls exactly the same. I do think this summer has been a bit of an anomaly for us. We're not used to getting this much sun and this much heat and squares as hard and outfields as firm so whether that plays a part or not [I don't know].

"It's one of those things where if the balls are going out of shape, you change them, and you don't make a big deal out of it. I don't think it's the end of the world. I think it adds a different dynamic to the game and you've got to be skilful enough to adapt to the changes, whether it stops swinging or starts swinging or does a little bit more."

Over rates also came under scrutiny for a second day running. After seven overs were lost on a slow opening day, a further 15 were left unbowled when stumps were called at 6.33pm on the second evening.

"I don't want to get myself in trouble by trying to rewrite the thing but I think that's one way of policing the ball thing," Root said. "In terms of over rates, it can be quite difficult on a day like today. We're not used to this, are we? Thirty [degrees] in England feels like 45 elsewhere. But I guess just try and keep on top of it as much as you can."

Bumrah said he didn't have a clear memory of the ball being changed during his two previous tours of England in 2018 and 2021 or the two World Test Championship finals he has played.

"The ball changes, I don't really control that," Bumrah said. "Obviously I don't really want to lose out on money because I worked very hard, I bowled a lot of overs, so I don't want to say any controversial statement and get my match fees deducted. But we were bowling with the ball that we were given and that's how it is. We can't change it, we can't fight it. Sometimes it goes your way [and] sometimes you get a bad ball, that's how it is."

Meanwhile, Root was understandably delighted with the brilliant catch he took mere millimetres above the ground at first slip to dismiss Karun Nair and move to 211 Test catches, clear of Rahul Dravid to hold the record outright.

"I'll be watching it back, for sure," Root told Test Match Special. "It should've been a long time ago. There's been a few drops in there, but it was an important one, so nice to cling on to it and keep contributing in the field today.

"That's the whole point, you want to try and contribute; you want to add to the team and find ways of affecting the game, if you're out there in the field. I might bowl the odd over here and there, but there's only limited ways that you can get yourself in the game. In order to drop catches, you've got to put yourself in those positions in the first place. That's one thing I'll always keep trying to do, [think] how can I make an impact? How can I help the lads? Standing at first slip is one of them."