Exclusive: Saliva Ban Blown Out Of Proportion, It's A Blessing In Disguise: S Sreesanth

Veteran fast-bowler S Sreesanth has said the saliva ban has been blown out of proportion. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the ICC has banned the use of saliva for the safety of the players and officials on the field. The governing body of the game took the decision to mitigate the risks posed by the COVID-19 virus.

The decision has invited a widespread debate with most of the players making it clear they are not very impressed with it. Shining the ball with the help of saliva has been an integral part of the game. It helps the bowlers to extract swing. With the players now prohibited from using saliva, many fear that the game will be further tilted in batsmen’s favour.

However, S Sreesanth has a different opinion. Speaking exclusively to CricketAddictor, the World Cup-winner that the entire issue has been blown out of proportion while opining that it should not be a problem. In fact, he went on to say that the decision is a blessing in a disguise as he stated that putting saliva on the ball did not augur well for the gentlemen’s game.

“It’s really blown out of proportion. I don’t think it should be a problem. Something that I learned in county is keeping the ball in right way. It is keeping the ball one side dry and one side shiny or whatever you call it. Saliva is out of the question, so now there is sweat,” S Sreesanth told CricketAddictor.

“It is blown out of proportion. In my view it is something that is very good. For success, it’s about adaptability. Anybody who is out there, use this time and get used to it. Cricket being a gentlemen’s game, the only thing which was not gentlemanly was spitting and putting it there (on the ball),” he added as he went on to say that the ban is a blessing in a disguise.

“Only the skillful bowlers will survive,” he further said while giving his trademark blow kiss.

The veteran bowler is currently gearing up to make his much-awaited return to professional cricket after serving a seven-year ban. His ban will end in September this year. Sreesanth was banned in 2013 in the infamous IPL spot-fixing scandal.

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