Wasim Akram: Bowlers Will Become Robots With Saliva Ban
Former national team captain and great fast bowler Wasim Akram has said that a temporary ban on the use of saliva in cricket will make bowlers robots.
It should be noted that bowlers use saliva and sweat to polish the ball which helps them to swing the ball in the air.
But the International Cricket Council (ICC) has introduced some changes to the game due to the coronavirus and banned the use of saliva, although players will be allowed to use sweat.
Former national team captain Wasim Akram told AFP that the ban would make bowlers robots because they would come and bowl without swinging.
He said, "It's a very difficult situation for me too because I grew up spitting and swinging the ball. I am convinced to take precautions in this difficult time, so now the bowlers have to wait for the ball to get old so that it can swing"
Wasim Akram is not very convinced of the use of sweat as an alternative and says that it is not possible to swing the ball only in cold countries with sweat while excessive use of sweat will also make the ball wet.
Wasim Akram, who took 414 wickets in Tests and 502 in ODIs, said synthetic materials could be used to polish the ball and suggested ICC officials try to find an effective synthetic material.
He said the ICC would have to find a solution and that synthetic materials such as Vaseline could be used for the job, but would have to decide how much Vaseline could be used.
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The former national team captain said that in the series between England and West Indies, we will have a chance to check the situation as we have not seen this happen till date.
It is to be noted that cricket activities were also suspended due to Corona virus and the series between England and West Indies will resume cricket activities.
Wasim Akram also suggested that the ICC consider considering a proposal to temporarily allow ball-tampering.
He said, "You have to decide when you will be tampering with the ball, from the first over or after 25 overs, they have to sit down and decide because the balance of the game has deteriorated and they are already in favor of the batsmen."
