New Delhi, Oct 11: The reintroduction of two white balls in ODIs will add an interesting dimension to the India-England ODI series that kicks off on October 14. The rule comes back after nearly two decades and experts feel that it could be a double-edged sword.
While it could most clearly prove effective for medium-pacers who depend on swing, some former bowlers say it would adversely impact bowlers who are good at reverse-swing. On the other side of the debate is the premise that two balls will help the batsmen who are good at striking it hard.
"It's difficult to say who will benefit the most, but I am sure the swing bowlers will have an edge. In general, the white ball loses its shine early and I am also sure that the better batsmen will score more runs," Kapil Dev, who led India's pace attack in the 1992 World Cup when the two balls were used, told TOI.
Will it hamper the Indian pacers who have been picked for the series against England since most of them are inexperienced?
"It's not new to us. We have played with two new balls earlier. It can be slightly helpful to the batters because the ball travels fast. In the current context, I think the batting power-play will get interesting because the ball will be harder than what it was in the past," said chairman of selection committee Krish Srikkanth.
"It can be very useful for the spinners if you know how to use the seam," Srikkanth added.
For former swing specialist Manoj Prabhakar, ODIs won't be one-sided affairs any more. "It's good news for the bowlers. From now on, the swing bowlers can apply more pressure on the batsmen and till 25th over of the match, every match will be 50:50," Prabhakar said.
The Delhi Ranji coach also sounded worried about the weak Indian bowling line-up. "It's a worrying situation but I am sure the newcomers will live up to their expectations. With two new ball, you can grip the ball better and I am looking forward to see some spirited shows from our side," Prabhakar said.
England team, meanwhile, has already impressed their ability to swing the ball in their own backyards a few weeks ago. Now, they must be looking to do the same away from home. Can the Indian bowlers replicate the same? PTI
