Indian pacer Ishant Sharma reiterated how ban on the usage of saliva as a ball-applicator to maintain shine will make life extremely difficult for bowlers and on the contrary, "really easy" for batsmen, affecting the balance of competitiveness between the two main disciplines of the game. 

The ICC has ratified the ban proposed by its cricket committee, seeing the ball as a potential source of on-field COVID-19 spread. 

Saliva not only helps with the shine but also aids swing, from a fast bowler's perspective, by making one side of the ball heavier than the other, making it tilt in the air when a bowler imparts back-spin, with the seam pointing towards the shinier side. 

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"If we don't shine the red ball, it doesn't swing and if it doesn't swing then it becomes really easy for the batsman. I think the competition should be fair and not a batsman dominated game," said Ishant on Star Sports' show 'Cricket Connected'. 

Considering sweat is a less transmissible form of droplets, it will still be allowed. But it has been said by many bowlers that it doesn't influence movement as much as saliva does. There is no substitute confirmed either, at least yet, by the ICC. 

Ishant, 31, the 97-Test veteran and one of the world's most improved cricketers in last four-five years, also said bowlers will have to take extra precautionary measures to avoid using saliva as it is an old habit. 

"I feel that the most important thing will be avoiding the use of saliva on the ball and refraining from shining the ball."

"We will have to take special precautions for this as we are used to shining the ball, especially the red ball," he concluded. 

(Inputs from PTI)