Bowlers Are Handicapped By The Ban Of Saliva: Sachin Tendulkar Suggests ICC To Find An Alternative

Former India batsman, Sachin Tendulkar feels that the game has shifted more towards the batsman since the International Cricket Council (ICC) has banned the usage of saliva by the bowlers and the fielding side.

After months of hiatus, cricket began in the pandemic era. To prevent contact with people players have to stay in a bio-bubble where there are certain protocols. ICC also made the changes- such as no crowd, and a ban of saliva on the ball.

The governing council terminated saliva use to prevent the spread of the covid-19 virus. However, several former players, experts, and current bowlers are not happy with this change. They have opined that without saliva it becomes difficult to generate reverse swing.

It’s like asking a batsman to only score on the onside: Sachin Tendulkar

Tendulkar expressed his disappointment with the rule by questioning that would anyone ask the batsman to score only on one side of the ground restricting the other half. He opines that there should be an alternative for saliva.

Speaking to the news agency ANI, Sachin Tendulkar said, “There should have been an alternative, but the alternative is still not there so it is literally like asking a batsman you cannot score runs on the offside, you can only score on the onside. It is literally like that. There is no substitute provided for saliva and that’s why bowlers are handicapped.”

The batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar believes that the saliva ban has confined the bowlers as they can hardly produce any reverse swing without saliva and just their sweat. The 47-year-old reckons sweat cannot match the effect of saliva on the ball.

“Bowlers are handicapped if you do not have a substitute for saliva. Today we do not have any substitute for saliva. Cricket was always like it, sweat and saliva were always there. I would say saliva is more important than sweat, so it is almost as good as 60 percent. Bowlers would rely more on saliva as compared to sweat,” the 2011 World Cup winner – Sachin Tendulkar added.

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