The legendary Indian cricketing figure, Sunil Gavaskar has addressed a growing issue in the game which seeks quick attention from the administration. In his feeling, the modern approach taken by the bowlers has given the pacers an advantage, which the batters never get in this game.
It was just a week ago when the former India captain turned 75. Sunil Gavaskar, known for his skill of getting runs after tremendous hard work in the longest format of the game, never loves to see a batter throwing his wicket away or shying away from running between the wickets. It goes without saying how much he loves ‘Bazball’ from the current England side in the longest format of the game.
The Mumbai-born featured for 214 innings, in his 16-year career, where he has smashed 10122 runs in red-ball format, at an average of 51.12, with 45 half-centuries and 34 centuries, with a best score of 236*. All of these have come in an era when batting was the most challenging job.
‘Cricket is also a game where…’- Sunil Gavaskar
The veteran has noticed that bowlers intentionally take unofficial ‘drinks break’ in between the overs when they sand on the boundary line, and some of the support staff come in and offer them water, which is an advantage the batter hardly gets.
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‘In cricket, the modern practice of bowlers, especially the quick ones, getting a refreshing drink on the boundary line where they go to the field after completing their over is an example of the authorities turning a blind eye to the practice.’ Sunil Gavaskar wrote in his column for ‘Sportstar’ ‘Why have the drinks interval then if bowlers are going to get themselves hydrated after going flat out for six deliveries?’
He also added that even if the batter has to run for eight runs in an over, under the heat, the umpires hardly allow them to take a drink in between the overs.
‘Mind you, the batter doesn’t get the chance to have a drink after an over where they may have taken eight runs or so, which are all run.’ The former India captain expressed.
It’s the first time he has found out a trend in the game. It was back in 2011, when he first touched upon it, when the ICC put an end to the injured batters getting runners.
During the IPL 2023 final between the Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings, Mohit Sharma was bowling the final over. The first four balls of that over were perfect and as planned before the bowler was offered a drink, which Gavaskar believed ‘disturbed the rhythm’ of the bowler.
‘Cricket is also a game where stamina and endurance matter no matter what the format is, so frankly, it should go back to the days when drinks were taken only after every hour of play and before that only with the permission of the opposition captain and umpires.’ Sunil Gavaskar penned down in his column.
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He never enjoys the moments when the players rushed out in the middle to pass a message from the dressing room to the batters, under the excuse of an unofficial drinks break. SGM wants some strict rules behind these and has urged the match referees to keep an eye on that.
‘Once the umpires looked the other way and allowed one bowler to do that, it became a trend, making a mockery of the drinks interval.’ Sunil Gavaskar concluded. ‘The third umpire and match referee should also ensure that the reserve player does not step onto the field to offer a drink to his teammate but stays outside the boundary line.’