Pakistan, Sept. 1 -- Former Pakistan Test opener Sadiq Mohammad believes current concerns over the Dukes cricket ball resemble an issue from English cricket decades ago. He recalled how a small change to the ball once made batting significantly harder. The change affected scoring rates and caused several matches to finish earlier than expected. Sadiq believes the current ball debate could have similar implications.

Sadiq recalled the period between around 1972 and 1978, when county and Test cricket produced plenty of runs. England's Test players and overseas cricketers regularly recorded big scores during that period. However, authorities later changed the construction of the cricket ball by increasing its seam. According to Sadiq, the s...