Pat Cummins Wants Ball To Carry Shine And Swing In Test Cricket Despite Covid-19 Threat

Pat Cummins has highlighted the need for the ball to swing in Test cricket amid discussion of omitting sweat and saliva from the game, keeping in mind the health and safety of the players, after the Covid-19 pandemic. The global governing council’s medical committee raised its concern about using saliva to polish the ball to be addressed before the season resumes, following the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The council is thus considering to allow the usage of artificial substances like vaseline to polish the red-ball under umpire’s supervision in the longest format, according to a report in espncricinfo.It also means that what is effectively known as ball-tampering, would be leaglised, keeping in mind the health and safety of players and all the support staffs.

Pat Cummins: I think you’ve got to be able to shine the ball and swing

Pat Cummins said everyone is attracted to Test cricket because it offers much variety and art. The top ranked Test bowler said it is extremely important for a fast bowler to shine the ball, adding if swing is taken away from the ball, it will give the batsmen an added advantage to score flurry of runs.

“As a fast bowler, I think you’ve got to be able to shine the ball,” he said in an interview on the website of his Indian Premier League team, the Kolkata Knight Riders (kkr.in).

“Why everyone loves test cricket is because it has so much art to it. You have swing bowlers, spinners, you have all these different aspects that make test cricket what it is.

“I think if you can’t shine the ball, that takes away swing bowling, that takes away reverse swing bowling and I just don’t want to give batsmen another reason to score runs.”

Kookabura has developed a unique wax formula to replace saliva or sweat for polishing a cricket ball. The manufacturers’ research and development centre in Australia has been working on developing the product to to replace the traditional methods. They have developed a pocket size pocket size sponge applicator which would enable umpires or players to apply a thin layer of wax which could then be rubbed and polished in a traditional manner to enhance the shine on the ball.

But Pat Cummins wants them to come up with another option for Kookabura balls.

“I want them to come up with another option. Whether it’s saliva or any another substance, we need to able to shine the ball and make sure it keeps swinging,” he said.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) emptied their pocket to buy premier Australia fast bowler in IPL 2020 auction. Pat Cummins was bought for Rs.15.50 crore from the base price of Rs.2 crore.