Steve Waugh, former Australian skipper and batsman has voiced his stand against the ban of bouncers from cricket. The former captain Steve Waugh has stressed that playing the bouncer requires skill and courage from batsmen, and has stood against taking such a big element away from cricket.
On the eve of the 4-match Test series between India and Australia, young Australian opener Will Pucovski missed out on a great chance to make his Test debut. Will Pucovski suffered a concussion in a practice game which ruled him out of contention of the playing XI in the Pink Ball Test match at the Adelaide Oval commencing December 17.
Steve Waugh: Banning Bouncers Would Take Skills Away From Game
For the 22-year-old Victoria batsman, it was a rare chance since veteran opener David Warner was already ruled out of 1st test due to a groin injury that he had picked up during the 2nd ODI against India. It ruled him out of the remaining ODI, subsequent T20Is and the first Test. Another incumbent opener Joe Burns was also in a dismal form but played 1st Test after Will Pucovski and David Warner were injured and ruled out of opening Test.
Will Pucovski’s multiple concussion woes in domestic and practice matches have led to the debate over bouncers, whether they should be banned from the sport, but Steve Waugh thinks otherwise as he feels batsmen have to find out a way to survive as it takes a lot of skill to bowl bouncers which is the excitement of Test cricket. Steve Waugh feels banning the bouncers will take requisite skill away from the game.
“.but, no, look it’s part of the game, as an opener and top-order batsmen you would want to test yourself against the best balls and tough situations. And quite often, a bowler at his peak bowls at your body and you’ve got to just work out a way to survive. It does take a lot of courage and a really good game plan and it takes skill. That’s why you wanna be tested,” Steve Waugh said on The Cricket Show on Sky Sports.
“There’s excitement, that’s what Test cricket is all about. It takes the skill away from the game, it takes away the courage element which is required from a top-order batsman, that’s part of the game so I’m definitely against the ban of the bouncers, it’s part of the game and it’s something you have got to learn to play better,” he added.
Former Australia captain Steve Waugh was against the idea of banning the bouncer from international cricket as it would reduce the skill of the game.
Will Pucovski Suffers Ninth Concussion As Justin Langer Is Concerned
Former Australian Test opener and their current head coach Justin Langer has conceded that he is a bit concerned about talented opening batsman Will Pucovski after the youngster suffered his ninth concussion in a recent warm-up game against India.
Will Pucovski had emerged as a front runner for opener’s spot and looked a solution in solving Australia’s opening woes courtesy his brilliant form in the 2020/21 Shield season where he smoked back-to-back double-hundreds.
However, he suffered an unfortunate blow on his head from pacer Kartik Tyagi who bowled a bouncer in the first warm-up game, eventually ruling him out from the first Test.
Justin Langer added that Will Pucovski would have received his ‘baggy green’ as he should have debuted in first Test itself had he not suffered a concussion. He is, however, hopeful that the youngster will recover in time for the upcoming and remaining 3 Tests.