Joe Root claims harder Dukes seam is at root of lbw struggles

Joe Root has attributed his unusually high number of LBW dismissals this summer to what he believes is a reinforced seam on the current batch of Dukes cricket balls. Root made the claim after England completed a 194-run victory over Pakistan in the second Test at Lord's on August 30.

Root has been dismissed lbw seven times in nine dismissals across four innings in the 2026 summer series, scoring 265 runs at an average of 29.44. He has not failed to score a century in a summer since 2019, and the run of lbw dismissals has drawn attention given that he carries 14,000 Test runs in his career and is currently ranked No. 2 in the ICC Test batter rankings, one place below teammate Harry Brook. Root acknowledged the difficult run but placed it in context, and was equally direct about his confidence in his own ability, while also pointing out the unfortunate nature of his dismissals.

"It's been difficult, but when you're winning games it's important to see things for what they are. I might have been out lbw a few times, but four of those have been umpire's call. If they go the other way, it might not be as much of a talking point. If I was getting out like that and other ways, that's even more concerning. Of course I'm aware of it, but I've got 14,000 runs for a reason. I can play and I've managed to get through difficult phases throughout my career. I don't see this being any different," Root said in the post-match press conference, as quoted by Cricinfo.

Why has Root been dismissed lbw so frequently this summer?

Three of Root's seven lbw dismissals this summer came in two Tests at Lord's. He was dismissed lbw by Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali in that match, and by New Zealand's Nathan Smith in June 2026. As per Cricinfo, the Lord's surface for the second Test drew the second-highest false-shot percentage, at 32.7 per cent, of the 800-plus matches where such data has been collected since 2006, underlining how challenging conditions were for batters throughout the game.

Root accepts that the lateral movement at Lord's has been particularly pronounced but also believes there is a separate factor at play. He theorises that the seam on the current Dukes balls has been reinforced with a lacquer to prevent it from going out of shape, a problem that was evident in recent summers. During the 2023 Ashes, England won the final Test at the Kia Oval after the ball was changed in the 37th over of Australia's second innings, with England winning by 49 runs.

"I think they're dinting more. As a batter when you practise, they're cracking your bats more frequently and they seem a lot firmer. And if they're dinting the wickets, then it's going to seam off the dints as well. It's going to make it move more. I wonder if there's an element of that to it as well," Root said.

What has Dukes said and what comes next for Root?

Dukes have previously insisted there has been no change in the manufacturing process of their cricket balls. Root himself acknowledged he does not have firm evidence to support his claim, meaning the dispute between his observations and the manufacturer's position remains unresolved.

Root's record in multi-match Test series wins offers some reassurance about his overall contribution. Only seven of England's 23 multi-match Test series wins involving Root have seen his batting average fall below 40, suggesting that lean patches with the bat have not typically prevented England from winning.

The third Test of the series against Pakistan begins at Edgbaston on September 9, allowing Root to address his lbw record on a different surface. England lead the series after their victory at Lord's and will look to Root to return to his more customary output as the summer concludes.