A fresh controversy in the India vs England Test at Lord’s has sparked outrage and confusion after Team India was allegedly given a much older replacement ball — one that looked like it had already been used for 30 overs — just 10 overs into the innings.
The incident, which has left fans and players scratching their heads, saw Indian team officials approaching the ICC Match Referee to raise concerns over what they believe was a clear mismatch in ball replacement.
During England’s first innings at Lord’s, the original ball lost its shape pretty early — around the 10-over mark. As per the rules, the umpires stopped play and chose a replacement ball. But as soon as Indian bowlers got their hands on it, they knew something wasn’t right.
The new ball — or rather, the “replacement” — didn’t behave like one that had been used for just 10 overs. It was more scuffed, more worn, and offered little to no swing, even in conditions where the ball was expected to move.
Naturally, this raised eyebrows in the Indian camp. Multiple reports confirmed that team officials took their concerns straight to ICC Match Referee Chris Broad. While they didn’t file a formal complaint, they did ask why the replacement ball looked much older than it should have.
“The moment the players held the ball, they were shocked. It looked like it had been used for 25 to 30 overs, not 10. The condition affected the way the bowlers could use it — it didn’t swing, it didn’t bounce.”
What’s making things even more frustrating for India is the feeling that England is getting the nicer balls. Some team members have quietly noticed that whenever England gets a replacement, it usually looks pretty new — but when it’s India’s turn, the ball looks old and rough, even if it’s only been a few overs. That just doesn’t sit right with them.
Fans online didn’t hold back either, flooding social media with comments like “One rule for them, another for us!” and “Its called double standard.
According to ICC rules, the replacement ball should’ve matched the one it was replacing — around 10 overs old. But that clearly didn’t happen.
What followed was a major turning point: England, who were struggling at 271/7, bounced back strongly to post 355 all out, thanks to crucial half-centuries from Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse. That extra cushion made all the difference, as India narrowly lost the match by 22 runs on the final day.
