South Africa speedster Dale Steyn has expressed his reservation with regards to the use of same brand of ball for all conditions in Test cricket. With the voices growing for the Dukes ball to be used worldwide, Steyn feels it would be silly to bring such a change in the traditional format.  

“Using one ball for all conditions sounds a bit silly,” Steyn told The Field. “Batsmen change their bats when they go across the world. The sweet spot is a lot lower in Asia because of the low bounce. In Australia and South Africa, it’s higher. It makes no sense to standardise one ball for all conditions.”

Recently, Steyn played a key role in South Africa’s emphatic 2-1 ODI series victory over Australia Down Under. The veteran speedster claimed 7 wickets at an outstanding average of 13.42 in the series and was adjudged Player of the Match in the first ODI at Perth. 

While Steyn recorded the stunning bowling figures of 2/18 in South Africa’s convincing 6-wicket victory in the ODI series opener, he scalped 2/31 in the second ODI at Adelaide. The 35-year-old returned with the figures of 3/45 in the series-decider at Hobart.

“I am glad people noticed I am a lot more relaxed. When I broke my shoulder, I was not sure whether I’d play again so I was just focused on making use of the next opportunity I got. You might be on the top of the world today but there can be a fall tomorrow,” he said.

Steyn is on the verge of completing fourteen years in international cricket. When asked what the change has been since the T20 era, the 88-Test veteran said: “[Deliveries pitching] on top of the off stump is going to be challenging for any batter. If you are bowling on a flat pitch, then you might try considering change of pace or bowling more cutters.”

“In white-ball cricket, of course, you have to have a strike-rate of more than 100. Ten years ago, you were a bad bowler if you went for 100 runs in more than ten overs. These days, that’s the way it is. Runs per over has definitely gone up,” he concluded.