Mark Taylor Expresses Concerns Over Saliva Ban; Says It Could Heavily Tilt The Balance In Batsmen's Favor

Mark Taylor, former Australian captain-turned commentator, has joined a long-standing list of both former and current cricketers, who have expressed their reservations against the ban on the usage of saliva on a cricket ball.

The International Cricket Council [ICC] has come up with a plethora of changes in the playing conditions for cricket to resume in the post-Covid-19 world, and while the usage of sweat is still allowed, saliva can no longer be used by the bowler to shine the ball.

Taylor’s primary concern with bowlers not allowed to use saliva to shine the ball, the balance of the Test match may heavily tilt towards the batsmen.

“I think it is a bit of a concern because I like, particularly in Test matches, to see the ball slightly dominate the bat, it is a much better game when Test cricket is played that way,” Taylor told ‘Channel 9’.

Also Read: Saliva Ban Will Affect Test Cricket And Not The Shorter Formats: Anil Kumble

‘Test cricket is much better when the score is around 300’- Mark Taylor

According to Taylor, with reverse-swing getting reduced due to the ban on the use of saliva, we might see batsmen dominate the bowlers with disdain and in the process ending up piling more and more runs.

“My concern will be that if the players can’t shine the ball and the ball does get very straight and very predictable we are going to see more and more runs, more and more high scores in Test match cricket. And that is not the best Test match cricket. Test cricket is much better when the score is around 300,” Mark Taylor added.

The ICC has introduced the system of issuing two warnings to the player guilty of using saliva, post which the opposition team will be awarded five penalty runs.

“They have said try and be lenient which I’m sure they will be but eventually one umpire is going to stick his neck out and say ‘that’s a five-run penalty’,” Taylor said.