Last week, the ICC Cricket Committee recommended a series of guidelines as part of the process to restart the international game. Anil Kumble, who is the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee, has revealed that the decision to include an extra review came into force due to the inexperience of local umpires at the global stage.
Kumble said that it ensures a level playing field for both sides.
Besides recommending the usage of saliva on the ball, the Kumble-led ICC Cricket Committee has also suggested for local umpires and additional review in Test matches in the post COVID-19 scenario. Reasoning the ICC Cricket Committee's recommendations, the former India captain said the suggestion to use of local umpires was made because of travel restrictions around the world in the wake of the pandemic.
"I think the need of hour was to start cricket. We also felt that because of travel restrictions, there could be quarantine measures. You don't have too many elite umpires in the panel. So, we felt that for cricket to kickstart, its best to use local umpires," Kumble said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected.
"Most countries don't have the experience, the local umpires don't have the experience of a Test Match or being part of a Test match. The reason that we started neutral umpiring 20 years ago was because there was the perception of a bias.
"The recommendation for an extra review for both teams is not to root that out but we felt that there could be potential inexperience being in a Test match situation, which is why the advantage of the additional review would probably benefit both the teams," he added.
While the ICC Cricket Committee recommended a ban on the usage of saliva to shine the ball, it didn't feel sweat would pose a serious health risk. Shaun Pollock, the former South African captain who is a part of the ICC Cricket Committee, opened up on the process behind imposing the saliva ban. READ HERE.
(With PTI inputs)
