In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, ICC Cricket Committee has recommended a ban on the traditional practice of using saliva to maintain the shine of the ball to avoid potential on-field viral spread.
However, the Anil Kumble-led committee saw no need to prohibit the use of sweat, which carries less risk of transmission, to polish the cricket ball.
The recommendations will be presented to the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee in early June for approval.
See Also: Hayden says players should be allowed to use both saliva, sweat if COVID-19 free
Sharing his two cents on the recent developments, veteran India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said putting saliva on the ball is a habit and it will take some practice to get rid of it when cricket resumes in the post COVID-19 world.
“I don’t know (when is) the next time I go out there. It is natural for me to put saliva. It’s going to take some practise (to not apply saliva). But I think, if we all have to co-exist, which is the DNA of human race, we will have to try and adapt to this,” he quoted during an Instagram chat with Delhi Capitals.
Ashwin is one of the few spinners in the world who has mastered the art of carrom ball and he spoke in detail about the famous delivery.
“It’s more about trying these variations and the disappointments you get with it. Imagine try to play carrom with your middle finger and you’re trying to push a cricket ball of that weight that cannot be compressed and you are trying to push it with velocity and trying it to spin. It’s no mean achievement. Your finger, body need to understand it so on and so forth,” he said.
“For me, when I was trying this carrom ball, I was expecting it to get it right everyday. But everyday despite bowling hundreds of deliveries, I will return home with disappointment of not being able to achieve what I had set out to achieve.
“That was a very very annoying state because you go through the practice and all with a dream in your head. But it does not pan out as quickly as you expected.”
He recently tried reverse carrom ball as well.
“I tried the reverse carrom, which I bowl at will now. I have been trying the googly. All these things tested my patience. But I feel when it tests your patience is when you need to be extra hard working, extra rudimentary and extra confident of your skills.”
Once the deadly pandemic subsides, cricket could do away with other traditional practices as well. Among them, Ashwin feels players will avoid exaggerated celebrations to ensure that the social distancing guidelines are being followed.
"If you watch those classic games of 1970 or 80s, wicket celebration was people use to stand away from each other and keep clapping, you never really had high five's and wrist pumps. It developed much later in the game," he stated.
(With PTI inputs)
