Ashes 5th Test: Ricky Ponting calls for investigation into controversial ball change at The Oval

By India Today Sports Desk: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has lashed out at the umpiring in the 5th Ashes Test, questioning the change of ball that has led to plenty of debate on the 5th day of the final Ashes Test between England and Australia at The Oval in London. Ponting said the change of ball needed to be investigated, opining that the replaced ball looked a lot fresher than the previous ball.

The change of ball made headlines in the first session on Day 5 of the final Ashes when England bowlers extracted a noticeable swing on Day 5, leading to questions about the legitimacy of the ball change.

On Day 4, a bouncer from Mark Wood struck Usman Khawaja’s helmet, prompting the umpires to replace what appeared to be a damaged ball in the 37th over. However, the controversy ignited when the replacement ball seemed significantly fresher than the one it replaced. This deviation from the usual practice of replacing a damaged ball with a similarly aged one raised eyebrows, especially as the English bowlers began to find more swing with the new ball.

Usman Khawaja and David Warner added 134 runs for the opening stand on Day 4 but both the openers were removed inside the first hour on Monday.

CAN’T FATHOM IT

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was among the first to highlight the discrepancy between the two balls on air. His comments added fuel to the growing debate, particularly as England’s fast bowlers picked up three quick wickets following the ball change in the first session. This sudden shift in momentum led many to question whether the new ball had given an unfair advantage to England.

“The biggest concern I have is the big discrepancy in the condition of the ball that was chosen to replace the one (out of shape). There’s no way in the world you can even look at those two balls there and say in any way are they comparable,” Ponting told Sky Sports.

“At the end of the day, if you are going to change the ball, you want to make sure that you get it right, so [you make it] as close as you possibly can to the one that you’re changing it from.

“Now, if you have a look in that box, there weren’t too many older-condition balls in there. There were some older ones that were picked up, the umpires looked at them and threw them back.

“I just cannot fathom how two international umpires that have done that a lot of times before can get that so wrong. That is a huge moment in this game, potentially a huge moment in the Test match, and something I think actually has to be investigated: whether there was the right condition of balls in the box, or the umpires have just, blasé, picked one out of there that they think will be okay to use,” he added.

The Dukes ball used in the ongoing Ashes 2023 series has already divided opinions among viewers and experts, with some feeling that the ball needed to be changed too frequently throughout the series. However, the incident on Day 4 has intensified these discussions, with the Australian media paying particular attention to the issue.

The controversy has added another layer of intrigue to a series that has already seen its fair share of contentious moments.