If ratified, the ICC Cricket Committee’s recommendation to ban the use of saliva to shine the ball will make life difficult for bowlers. Here’s what former players think about the situation...
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
FIND AN ALTERNATIVE: VINAY KUMAR
Without saliva, it’s not easy to shine the ball. But with the Covid-19 situation, safety is vital. It’s a good call since cricket is a sport where all players use saliva. Sweat is also not a good option, as there may be chances of someone getting infected. In my opinion, instead of saliva, the ICC can think of an alternate supplement. They can see what are the contents of saliva and find a supplement which can be given say in 100ml bottles to the umpires, which can be used accordingly. How much of it can be decided by ICC. That could help the bowlers.
DEMISE OF AN ART: L BALAJI
Bowlers are taught from the beginning how to use saliva. Without it, an art will go out of the game and it will become an unequal contest between bat and ball. Even spinners will lose the drift. Bowlers in general will suffer if the ball cannot be maintained. Finding a substitute is the only solution, but that might require a lot of trials and tests, considering the different conditions cricket is played in. Sweat is not a solution because not everyone sweats and there are places where you don’t sweat.
LONGER FORMAT TO BE AFFECTED MORE: RAJAT BHATIA
Ban on saliva is going to affect four or five-day games more than one-dayers. It’s a rule which has to be introduced. At the same time, we have to try to bring in some kind of a rule or leverage for bowlers, where he can shine the ball. I am not saying he has to use some kind of substance but definitely there has to be something so that the game remains even. Sweat is not a solution. Once you start using just sweat, the ball becomes heavy. Because of the salt in sweat, the ball never gets that kind of shine. So the ball is not going to swing that much.
ALLOW TWO BALLS FROM TWO ENDS: WASIM JAFFER
Bowlers will obviously face a problem because sweat is not a substitute for saliva. But this is something we have to follow at the moment, considering the situation worldwide. For the longer format, authorities can perhaps think of having two balls from two ends. This will keep the ball shiny and hard for longer and help the bowlers get some swing. Or else, they can also allow teams to take the second new ball after 60 or 70 overs instead of 80. If nothing of this sort can be done, the game will become tilted heavily in favour of batsmen.
