Dilip Jajodia (born 1944)[1][2] is an Indian businessman, and current owner of British Cricket Balls Ltd, which manufactures the Dukes cricket ball.
Dilip Jajodia | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1944 (age 79–80) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Owner of British Cricket Balls Ltd |
Personal life
editJajodia's family are from the Marwar region of Rajasthan in north-west India. He studied at the Bishop Cotton Boys' School in Bangalore, India, and has a degree in management. In 1962, Jajodia moved with his family to England.[1][2] He played club cricket in India and England[2] as an all-rounder.[3] Jajodia says that he "lost his edge" after suffering a mouth injury fielding at silly point.[3] Jajodia lives in north-east London, and runs the Woodford Wells Cricket Club.[4][2] In 2019, Jajodia delivered a Gen KS Thimayya memorial lecture.[5]
Career
edit
In England, Jajodia worked as a Chartered Insurance Practitioner and a pension fund manager.[1] Jajodia started working in cricket ball manufacturing in 1983.[2] In 1987, Jajodia bought British Cricket Balls Ltd, the company that manufactures the Dukes cricket ball, from Gray-Nicolls.[1][6][2] Jajodia moved the manufacturing of Dukes cricket balls from Tunbridge Wells to Walthamstow.[2] Jajodia specifically chooses by hand the cricket balls to send to cricket venues for matches.[2] Dukes balls are used in matches in England and the West Indies.[7]
In 2017, Jajodia was in attendance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first Sheffield Shield match to use the Dukes ball rather than the traditional Kookaburra ball.[6] After India's 2018 series in England, Jajodia said he has no plans to market the Dukes ball in India.[7] After the West Indies 2020 series in England, in which saliva could not be used to clean the cricket balls due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jajodia said that he was happy with the swing of the Dukes balls.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Sonwalkar, Prasun (21 November 2013). "Dilip Jajodia: man who makes English bowlers swing". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Sundaresan, Bharat (11 June 2017). "Keeping the shine of the Dukes ball". The Indian Express. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ a b Vasu, Anand (8 August 2018). "The Indian behind the swing, seam and spin that left India short at Edgbaston". The Print. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ MacPhearson, Will (20 June 2017). "If the ball is anything to go by we could be tickled pink by cricket day-nighters". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ "Cricket and Cottons: Dukes ball owner Dilip Jajodia talks about his Bangalore connection". The Hindu. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ a b Edwards, Richard (8 February 2017). "How Australian cricket has broken with history through a fear of losing the Ashes". The Independent. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ a b "Ball should be made for the conditions, not vice versa: Dilip Jajodia". The Hindu. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ "England vs West Indies: Dukes ball MD Dilip Jajodia happy with ball movement under 'no saliva' conditions". Inside Sport. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.