Former India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has said that the International Cricket Council needs to look at ball manufacturing when cricket resumes post-Coronavirus.
Speaking to Cricket.com, the master blaster said that if saliva is not to be used to keep the shine of the ball, then the ICC needs to look at alternative methods to maintain the balance in the game.
“The ICC needs to have a closer look at how the balls are being manufactured. They may have to speak to the top manufacturers like SG, Kookaburra and Dukes, to understand what can be done differently, given the circumstances and concerns,” he said.
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This comes at a time when the ICC cricket committee has recommended to ban the usage of saliva post-COVID for safety reason. The committee comprises former India captain Anil Kumble and comprising high-profile ex-international stars such as England captain Andrew Strauss, Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene, India’s Rahul Dravid and South Africa’s Shaun Pollock.
Sachin Tendulkar said that alternative methods have to be implied in ball manufacturing. “If one cannot use saliva from a hygiene standpoint, then sweat should not be allowed as well. Maybe there can be a special type of lacquer coating which will keep the shine on the ball. But at the same time, the spinners should not be taken out of the equation.”
“Probably the ICC then needs to look at legally allowing the application of a wax coat or other similar substances on a ball, to enable swing movement as bowlers desire. We need to think innovatively to ensure we come up with a solution that takes into account safety and hygiene, but at the same time does not take away from the bowlers or causes imbalances in the game,” he said.
