After Ravi Ashwin, Umesh Yadav complains about the SG ball

A lot of Indian players are now joining the bandwagon against the SG ball, which was started by India’s spin spearhead Ravichandran Ashwin. After the end of the first Test against the Windies, Ashwin stated that his experience the ball was disappointing. Soon after captain Virat Kohli suggested that the Dukes ball should be preferred for all Tests. This time around, pacer Umesh Yadav said that the SG ball makes it difficult to dismiss the lower order.

Speaking to the media, after the end of day 1 of the second Test in Hyderabad, Umesh said that when people acknowledge runs that the lower order of their opposition has managed to score of late. He mentioned that what they tend to forget it that the SG ball on flat tracks exudes neither pace nor bounce, so the batsmen can make merry.

“If you are saying that lower order has scored runs, then you must realise that in India, with SG Test balls on these kinds of flat tracks, you neither get pace nor bounce. So the option to use variations ends,” Umesh said.

Tail-enders benefit from the SG ball

“So (with SG) all you can do is to bowl one spot but then you will realise that nothing is happening even off the pitch nor is it swinging. So when middle and lower order comes in they know that ball has become soft and it doesn’t come at a pace and batting becomes easier,” the fast bowler added.

Being the only pacer in the attack today as Shardul Thakur making his debut walked off the field just after bowling 10 deliveries, Umesh ended the day with figures of 3 for 83 from 23 overs. He further said that the tail-enders knew that the ball will not do much, so it was easy for them to take singles and doubles.

“Tail-enders know that it will neither swing nor reverse. You just have to wait for something to happen and keep trying. But you can’t really do it on such a big ground, the ones and twos keep coming. And West Indies’ game is like that only,” the Vidarbha seamer said.

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