England skipper Joe Root weighed in over potential ban on the usage of saliva as a ball-applicator to maintain shine due to COVID-19 pandemic and felt discontinuation of the traditional practice could actually work in bowlers' favour in the long-term.
The ICC Cricket Committee's recommendation to do so could be ratified as early as June and be applicable on cricket matches thereafter.
Root thinks such a ban will make bowlers work harder for wickets and widen their range of skillset over a long period of time.
"Not having the assistance that you might normally have means your accuracy has to improve," he was quoted as saying by metro.co.uk.
"Guys will have to find another way to get something out of the surface, whether that's a bit more effort, changing angles on the crease, using the wobble seam they might not have in their locker."
"It could develop our bowlers in a four or five-week period."
Root offered a positive view on the matter, which had so far attracted only negative opinions, with many fearing for the imbalance that might be created between the two main disciplines of the game.
Former and currently active bowlers, including the likes of Michael Holding, Pat Cummins & co have been the most vocal in requesting the authorities to revisit the idea or come up with proper alternatives for ball-shining.
One way out could be to use extra lacquer and have more prodigious seam on the cricket ball, but with the ball keeping new for longer, reverse swing, an integral part of the Test match game, might not be in play as early as it currently does and spinners could be affected too.
(Inputs from PTI)
