Legendary Sachin Tendulkar asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to explore options of creating a level-playing field, having imposed ban on the usage of saliva on the ball amid the health risk posed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of interim health safety measures, the ICC has discontinued applying saliva, which Tendulkar fears will affect the game's balance and feels there must be some alternative in place for the bowlers' sake if they can't shine the ball the traditional way.
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"Some of my friends who are bowlers have told me that after some time we might see two bowling machines being used at both ends to feed balls to batsmen during matches and cricket will be played like that," said Tendulkar on India Today's 'Salaam Cricket 2020'.
"The game will change for sure. According to the new rules from the ICC, saliva has been banned so how will the ball swing now or in the middle overs... In some countries players don't sweat much because of the weather, so how will you shine the ball?"
"For such situations, a box of wax can be given to the umpires, ICC should decide how many grams of wax to give. Per innings, the quota can be set, whatever the ICC deems correct," he added.
"They can decide whether to change the ball after 45-50 overs. If you give the bowlers more options then we can make it an even playing field. But with this saliva ban bowlers will be at a disadvantage."
Tendulkar, having already suggested using the second new ball after only 50 overs instead of 80 overs in Test cricket, urged cricket authorities to ensure the surfaces are also more in favour of the bowlers.
"If the wickets are bowler-friendly then we can have one ball but if that is not the case then we can change the ball after 45-50 overs," he said. "We can give the opposition a choice whether to have a new ball or keep operating with the old ball. Or they can have the new ball from one end and an old ball from the other."
"Sometimes spinners are more effective with the new ball and seamers use the old ball for reverse swing. This way the game will not be monotonous, it will involve a lot of thinking and planning," Tendulkar concluded.
(Inputs from India Today)
