The ICC cricket committee banned the usage of saliva to shine the ball amongst other recommendations in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, once international cricket resumes, albeit behind closed doors.
However many bowlers have expressed concerns on whether this ban makes the game tilt in the favor of batsmen. However, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has a completely different viewpoint on this as he felt the ban is of no use when it comes to places like India.
“In Indian conditions, the ban might not have so much of an effect. You sweat a lot in the hot and humid conditions and you can use it to polish the SG ball well. Another aspect is the pitches and conditions don’t offer much in terms of swing movement unlike those in England and Australia,” Starc said.
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The seamer asserted that playing conditions must be altered to help the bowlers as well like leaving grass on the pitch or an artificial substance be allowed to shine the ball.
“You use both saliva and sweat to shine the ball. I’ve probably been a bit more on the sweat side, and I try not to get my hands in my mouth too much but I agree that there needs to be something in place to keep that ball swinging,” Starc said.
He felt that the saliva ban must not be permanent as it affects the bowlers and which in turn might affect the viewers as well and little kids would not want to become fast bowlers.
"They’ve mentioned that it's only going to be an interim measure. So for the time being, they should instruct people to leave more grass on the wickets to have an even contest between bat and ball. Otherwise people are going to stop watching, and kids aren't going to want to be bowlers. There are some pretty flat wickets, and if that ball doesn’t do much and goes straight then it becomes a pretty boring contest,” Starc said.
The 30-year-old also revealed that Kookaburra is developing a wax that could be used to shine the ball instead of saliva.
Starc, who had pulled out of the IPL 2020 auction, may reconsider playing in it if the tournament happens in the October-November window instead of the T20 WC.
“I’d consider it. Obviously it’d be right at the start of our domestic season as well so it’d be a fair bit to consider. But I don’t currently have a contract, so I currently don’t have to worry,” Starc signed off.
(Times of India inputs)
