Shane Warne Gives His Verdict On Switch-Hitting After Ian Chappell Urges ICC To Ban The Shot

Legendary Shane Warne has joined the debate over the much-talked about switch-hitting. The debate has resurfaced in the wake of Glenn Maxwell and other Australian players’ regular use of the unorthodox shot in the recently-concluded ODI series against India.

In the past, several notable names from the game had expressed their reservation over the shot and Shane Warne is the latest to do so. His comments have come just a couple of days after former Australia captain Ian Chappell expressed his frustration over the shot.

Chappell said that it was very annoying and extremely unfair when a batsman became ‘opposite-handed’ and foiled the fielding set by the opponent captain. He even went on to urge the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ban the unorthodox shot.

Watch: Glenn Maxwell’s Massive Switch Hit Six After Ian Chappell Urges ICC To Ban The Shot

And Shane Warne has echoed the same sentiments. The former Australia spin spearhead said that although the switch-hit entertains the crowd, it gives the batsman an unfair advantage.

“As a bowler, we have to nominate what hand we’re bowling with, and what side of the wicket we’re bowling with,” Fox Sports quoted Shane Warne as saying on Wednesday.

“I’m setting a field to a right-hand batsman, so now when they switch-hit, I’m actually bowling to a left-hand batsman. I’m not sure I like it. It’s worth a discussion, worth a debate to work out what’s the right thing. Maybe the bowler can run up behind the umpire and bowl over or around,” he added.

But unlike Shane Warne, former Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy did not agree with Chappell’s verdict on the switch-hit. The legendary wicketkeeper said that the bowlers should take a bit of onus to better anticipate it.

“I think bowlers have got to be a little bit better, they’ve got to be more aware,” Healy said.

“Last minute changes for the bowlers aren’t that great at the moment, but they’ll get better at that. But it is tricky, it’s very tricky. Let the batters do it, not many are doing it well, but the one’s that do are incredible entertainers,” he added.

Meanwhile, the three-match ODI series ended 2-1 in Australia’s favour. India, on Wednesday, beat the hosts by 13 runs in the third game to avoid a whitewash. Both the teams will now lock horns in a three-match T20I series, starting on December 4.

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