Make challenging wickets if sweat doesn’t work – Rahul Dravid

Former Indian captain Rahul Dravid feels the ICC can give a green signal to make more challenging wickets for the batsmen if the sweat doesn’t work as effectively as saliva.

Many cricket pundits have already mentioned that the sweat is not going to help that much as saliva used to do.

ICC Cricket Committed headed by Anil Kumble had put forward the recommendation to ban saliva in the aftermath of the coronavirus after consulting with the medical experts.

Subsequently, ICC Cricket Executive Committee approved the recommendation on an interim basis.

There is no doubt that the saliva ban is going to make life difficult for the bowlers as they use it to maintain the shine on the ball, which eventually helps in swinging the ball.

Many experts including former players feel the ICC should come up with an alternative to saliva ban.

Kumble has already refused giving a green signal to the usage of any external substance to tamper the ball.

“I am not sure if they will allow a foreign substance on the ball. I think they will first try it with sweat and if it produces the same effect then you don’t need to do anything,” Darvid said while talking to Sony Pit Stop show.
“The other thing that can be done is you make the wickets a little more challenging. Whether you make them greener or if they assist more pace and bounce or make tracks that turn a little bit more.

“What you want is a good contest between bat and ball. That is what we are trying to achieve. And if that can’t be achieved for the short span of time then you create tougher wickets to get that and it will be great cricket to watch,” Dravid added.

In fact, Anil Kumble had also suggested that the pitches can be made helpful for the spinners and thus every team can play two spinners in their final XI.

Meanwhile, it is imperative for the ICC to make the contest even between bat and ball. As bowlers can not use saliva on the ball, the ICC should come up with an alternative which can help the bowlers otherwise the contest might become mundane.

Some players have also suggested that two new balls can be used or the ball can be changed after 45-50 overs whereas some have suggested that the bowlers can be allowed to use wax on the ball.

However, for the time being, the ICC is not providing any use of external substance and thus they might ask the home cricket board to prepare pitches which will suit the bowlers of both teams, to make the contest even bat and ball.