Key Points

The Dukes balls, which have been in production since 1760, have been regarded as high-quality cricket balls, but in the ongoing Test series between England and India, it has been going soft long before the second new ball comes into the picture.

"We will take it away, inspect and then start talking to the tanner, talking about all of the raw materials - everything. Everything we do will be reviewed and then if we think some changes need to be made or tightened up, we will," said Dilip Jajodia, owner of British Cricket Balls Ltd, who make the Dukes ball, to BBC Sport on Friday.

With the ball going too soft and losing its shape, especially after the first 30 overs, taking wickets has become harder for bowlers' from both teams. The issue of Dukes ball quality made buzz again when there were five ball changes during England's first innings in the third Test at Lord's, while one ball change happened only 10.2 overs into day two's play.

"The unique nature of cricket is that you can't test that ball before it goes into play so therefore, if it fails, it fails in use and at the very highest level it's in the glare of publicity. All we can do to check everything as thoroughly as we can during the whole process of making the ball," added Jajodia.

Coming to the series, after suffering a 22-run defeat at Lord's, Shubman Gill-led India will be aiming to bounce back in the fourth Test against England at Manchester, starting on July 23, before the fifth and final match of the series takes place at The Oval in London from July 31 to August 4.

- IANS