Why is Gautam Gambhir worried about the Rs 5000 ball? What is the difference between Kookaburra and Duke Balls?

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Kolkata Knight Riders' mentor Gautam Gambhir had recently suggested that the IPL should use the Duke ball instead of the Kookaburra ball. He said that the Duke ball would be more helpful for the bowlers and would balance the game in favor of the batsmen. There are three types of balls used in cricket around the world: Kookaburra, SG, and Dukes. However, the current debate focuses on the Kookaburra and Duke balls. Let's understand the real difference between the two.

Duke and the making of the Kookaburra Balls

The primary difference between Kookaburra and Duke balls is in the company that makes them. The Dukes ball is made by British Cricket Balls Ltd in England. The company was started in 1760 by the Duke family and was later purchased by Indian businessman Dilip Jajodia in 1987. England, West Indies, and Ireland use this ball.

The Kookaburra ball is manufactured by the Australian company Kookaburra Sport. It is manufactured in Australia and used in New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe. Kookaburra has also started the production of balls in India. Talking about the price, according to the Kookaburra website, its price is around Rs 5000, whereas the price of Duke Ball is around Rs 4000.

Sewing Kookaburra and Duke Balls

The most basic but important difference between Duke and Kookaburra balls is in their stitching. There are 6 threads stitched in the cricket ball. In the Duke ball, all six threads are hand-stitched, while in the Kookaburra only the middle two threads are hand-stitched; The rest are machine-stitched.

The seam of both balls

There is a lot of difference in the seam of both the balls. In a Duke ball, all six threads are combined during sewing, creating a seam. This makes the ball durable, retains its stiffness for a longer period of time, and provides more seam movement even after falling on the pitch. On the other hand, in Kookaburra only two threads are joined to create the seam. This affects the hardness of the ball, making it softer and faster and reducing seam movement, as pointed out by Gautam Gambhir. Due to its soft nature, the Kookaburra ball deteriorates quickly in Asian conditions.

Duke has more swing than Kookaburra

During the England cricket season, there is always a threat of rain. Therefore, grease is used on Duke balls. This grease allows bowlers to retain the shine of the ball for longer periods of time, giving them more swing throughout the game. However, Australian conditions are different, and Kookaburra does not use grease on its balls, reducing swing for the bowlers.