Jasprit Bumrah
ICC's Cricket Committee, earlier this month, had prohibited the use of saliva to shine the ball when matches resume after the pandemic break in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus. But Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah wants an alternative solution to maintaining the shine of the ball.
While he opined that he doesn't have a problem with restrained celebrations, he did express his concern over the no-saliva rule saying that it will be difficult for the bowlers especially with cricket turning into a more batsman-friendly environment.
"I was not much of a hugger anyway! And not a high-five person as well, so that doesn't trouble me a lot," Bumrah said on the ICC's video series, Inside Out Interviews. "The only thing that interests me is the saliva bit. I don't know what guidelines we'll have to follow when we come back, but I feel there should be an alternative. If the ball is not well maintained, it's difficult for the bowlers.
"The grounds are getting shorter and shorter, the wickets are becoming flatter and flatter. So we need something, some alternative for the bowlers to maintain the ball so that it can do something - maybe reverse in the end or conventional swing. In Test match cricket, yes (conditions are more bowler-friendly). That is why it's my favourite format, because we have something over there. But in one-day cricket there are two new balls, so it hardly reverses at the end. We played in New Zealand, the ground (boundary) was 50 metres. So even if you are not looking to hit a six, it will go for six. In Test matches I have no problem, I'm very happy with the way things are going."
Bumrah then admitted that he hasn't bowled since the New Zealand tour although he has been training hard to maintain shape so that he can find a spot in the team when international action resumes.
"I really don't know how your body reacts when you don't bowl for two months, three months. I'm trying to keep up with training so that as soon as the grounds open up, the body is in decent shape. I've been training almost six days a week but I've not bowled for a long period of time so I don't know how the body will react when I bowl the first ball. I'm looking at it as a way to renew your own body. We'll never get such a break again, so even if you have a small niggle here and there, you can be a refreshed person when you come back. You can prolong your career."
India's pace spearhead also talked about his short run-up which comprises eight paces.
"The run-up is because of playing in the backyard. We didn't have a lot of space when I used to play as a child. This was the longest run-up you could have, so maybe that could be a reason. I've tried a longer run-up and nothing changes - the speed is still the same. So why run so much? This helps me when I play Test matches because when I'm bowling my fourth spell or fifth spell, I'm relatively more fresh than the bowlers who play with me and have a longer run-up.
"This was my theory. This is not the best thing I should say but I am bowling quicker than them in my fourth spell as well! So I think I should stick to it. If I have some physical difficulty and if it's giving me some trouble, then I'll find solutions. But if it's not broken, why fix it?" he said.
