In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned the traditional practice of using saliva to shine the ball.
The apex body, however, saw no need to prohibit the use of sweat, which carries less risk of virus transmission, to polish the cricket ball.
But India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar reckons it is going to be challenging without saliva as sweat is not possible everywhere in the world.
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"Sweat is not possible everywhere in the world, definitely it's going to be challenging. Hope things get better soon as they were," Kumar said on Sunday (July 12) during a Twitter chat with fans.
Earlier, Bhuvneshwar had called for an alternative to maintain the ball. Notably, the Anil Kumble-led ICC Cricket Committee did not allow the use of artificial substances as a substitute move to saliva.
"I hope the ICC comes up with some artificial way by which we can shine the ball. You need to do it when you bowl in swinging conditions in (places like) England. Even the spinners need it," he had said at a webinar organised by GainAccess Sports & Entertainment and Sportz Power last month.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was last seen in action during the T20I home series against West Indies in December 2019. The 30-year-old missed the tour of New Zealand earlier this year as he underwent surgery for sports hernia in London.
He was set to make his comeback via the ODI series against South Africa in March, but the first match in Dharamshala got washed out and the next two games weren't played because of the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak.
