IPL 2020: Robin Uthappa Risks Getting Punished For Saliva Gaffe Against Former Side KKR
Published - 30 Sep 2020, 10:18 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:35 AM

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Rajasthan Royals star Robin Uthappa could land in trouble for his actions in the ongoing match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The veteran batsman was spotted applying saliva on the ball while fielding during the twelfth match of IPL 2020 in Sharjah.
In June, the International Cricket Council (ICC) had announced a temporary ban on applying saliva to the ball in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic to keep the players and umpires safe from virus transmission. However, the players are allowed to use sweat to shine the ball.

But Robin Uthappa forgot the rule and ended up using saliva on the ball. The incident took place on the fifth ball of the third over of KKR’s innings when he dropped Sunil Narine. The left-handed batsman was yet to open his account when he miscued a shot at mid-on where Robin Uthappa was standing.
It was an easy catch but the former KKR star ended up spilling it. And he was then seen applying saliva on the ball before handing it to the bowler. His action could very well land him in trouble.
Here is a clip of the incident:
https://twitter.com/ItsRaviMaurya/status/1311308712670195713
As far as the game is concerned, KKR have made a good start. At the time of compiling this report, they were 76 for 1 after 9 overs. Shubman Gill was batting on 40 while Nitish Rana was playing on 17.
End of a long association:
Robin Uthappa and KKR parted ways last year after a highly successful association. The right-handed batsman first joined the franchise in 2014 and became an instant hit. He had gone on to win the Orange Cap after scoring a staggering 660 runs.

Over the years, he established himself as an integral part of the KKR team. But last year, he had a forgettable outing. The out-of-favour India batsman had managed just 282 runs in 12 outings at a modest strike-rate of 115.10 before being released.