WTC Final: Duke balls to be used for India vs Australia clash

The ball to be used for the World Test Championship final between India and Australia will not be as per the preference of either sides. ICC says the decision on which type of ball to be used comes down to the host nation – in this case England.

India use SG balls for their home fixtures and Australia use the Kookaburra but the final will be played with the Dukes, as per a News18 report. Even the WTC final last year, between India and New Zealand, was played with the Dukes.

The clarification comes on the heels of some chatter that Australia, as the top-ranked side in the World Test Championship table, would decide which balls to be used.

“For all ICC events, the ICC uses the ball of choice of our host country so in this case, the ball for the WTC Final will be Dukes which is used in England,” News18 quoted an ICC source as saying.

Following the Australia Test series, India skipper Rohit Sharma had said “some Duke balls” will be sent to the bowlers involved in the World Test Championship final.

Read | Why is Ajinkya Rahane back in the India Test squad?

“We are sending some Duke balls to all fast bowlers and if they get some time to bowl with that but again it all depend on individuals, guys who will be part of the final are not the guys who have not played in the UK and maybe one or two guys here and there and rest all of us have played in that part of the world. I don’t think it will be a huge problem. But yeah, look I believe in preparation and preparations will be key for us come the Final,” Rohit Sharma had said after the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.

India will get a little over a week after the Indian Premier League ends and the World Test Championship final begins. The IPL final is slated for 28 May and the WTC final, at The Oval, is scheduled for 7 May.

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