Gautam Gambhir blames cricket balls after being hammered by Rajasthan Royals

Former Indian cricketer and present mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Gautam Gambhir, was not pleased with the high-scoring matches happening in the ongoing IPL 2024.

In the ongoing IPL 2024, bowlers have been facing brutal assaults by the batters, and they often chase down scores well over 200 with remarkable ease. This trend has become a big challenge for the bowlers, as they fail to control the aggressive batting onslaught and leak a lot of runs.

Amidst the dominance of the batters this season, former cricketers and cricket analysts have been suggesting many ideas to balance the fairness of the T20 format, ensuring a more competitive and balanced contest between the two facets of the game.

Gautam Gambhir questions the need for exclusively using Kookaburra balls in the IPL

Well, many have been suggesting switching the ball manufacturer and choosing the Duke ball, which is known for its seam and ability to move sideways, to help bowlers in the IPL. Well, Gautam Gambhir, the 2011 World Cup winner, also backed the idea while questioning the need for exclusively using Kookaburra balls in the IPL.

Gautam Gambhir said on the “108 Not Out” Podcast: “If a manufacturer cannot produce a ball which can last for 50 overs, might as well change the manufacturer. There’s nothing wrong with changing the manufacturer. What is this compulsion with only using the Kookaburra?”

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Meanwhile, senior cricket expert Harsha Bhogle also backed the idea of using the Duke balls to help the bowlers in T20 cricket. The well-known commentator stressed the need for a balance between bat and ball, especially when pitches do not favor bowlers in T20 cricket.

Harsha Bhogle also called for the use of Duke Ball in the IPL

Harsha Bhogle wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter): “I will reiterate this. We need greater balance between bat and ball and in a situation where the pitches aren't helping, the ball must do more in the air. How about a Duke ball, a ball with a more pronounced seam, that allows more lateral movement and ensures batters can't just hit through the line at will? Love to hear expert opinions on this.”

I will reiterate this. We need greater balance between bat and ball and in a situation where the pitches aren't helping, the ball must do more in the air. How about a Duke ball, a ball with a more pronounced seam, that allows more lateral movement and ensures batters can't just…

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 15, 2024

Notably, there are also growing calls for bowlers to innovate and adapt their strategies to counter the aggressive batting tactics in T20 cricket. Many suggested that the bowlers experiment with different bowling variations, angles, and tactics to outsmart the batters.

The ongoing season has so far seen two matches with over 500 scores. In the Sunrisers Hyderabad versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru match, SRH scored 287/3 in their first 20 overs, breaking their record for the highest IPL total.

In reply, RCB scored 262/7, and that’s how both teams scored 549 runs in this IPL 2024 clash. This match also broke the record for the highest total in a T20 game, and 549 became the highest-ever total in any T20 encounter. On the other hand, the Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Mumbai Indians clash also saw over 500 runs on the board from both teams.