BRAND-NEW DELHI: The coronavirus pandemic may force cricket’s world governing body to modify among its earliest rules and authorize using a synthetic substance to assist shine the ball, efficiently legalizing what has for long been a core tenet of the sport’s anti-tampering stance.
The innovative move is being mulled after the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) medical committee highlighted the dangers of players continuing the ‘usual’ techniques of using spit and sweat on the red cherry following the Covid-19 break out.
Making use of saliva to help one side of the ball maintain its shine is more widespread in Test cricket, played with the red ball, and is planned to assist faster bowlers who are wanting to swing the ball through the air.
” Authorities are thinking about using artificial substances to help polish the red ball under the guidance of umpires in long-form matches, in order to end the need for players to do so with saliva,” said a report in ESPNcricinfo.
Tennis players have considered stopping the practice of throwing sweaty towels at ball boys and fans, and lots of other sports are considering using abandoning pre-match handshakes and celebratory high-fives. But getting a ball to swing is most likely the most intrinsic aspect of cricket, and the