England’s Test captain Joe Root has supported the banning of saliva, saying that it would help the bowlers to develop new tactics to handle the ball. His response came after Anil Kumble led ICC committee recommended banning saliva from shining the ball in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.
As per reports, ICC is likely to allow bowlers to use artificial substances under the guidance of umpire, which has become another debatable subject. Many are of the view that it would enhance ball-tampering. Cricket pundits have also said that without any assistance, batsmen would get an unfair advantage.
Banning Saliva would evolve bowling tactics: Joe Root
Joe Root has given a different view on “no sweat, no saliva policy”. In his opinion, the bowlers could be favoured from it because without any assistance, and they would be forced to better their skills. Root said they would have to find angles, wobble seam, and to try out new things up. According to him, it would develop a bowler.
“Not having the assistance that you might normally have means your accuracy has to improve,” he was quoted as saying by metro.co.uk.
“Guys will have to find another way to get something out of the surface, whether that’s a bit more effort, changing angles on the crease, using the wobble seam they might not have in their locker.”It could develop our bowlers in a four or five-week period.”
Meanwhile, England Cricket Board has resumed practice sessions amid the pandemic. Pacer Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes have started individual sessions while Root is yet to start training. ECB is also planning to host the series against Pakistan and West Indies in the near future.