Cricket is supposed to be an even contest between the bat-and-ball. Over the decades, the bat has taken precedence. Batsmen are more celebrated, the rules favour them more, and even the emergence of limited-overs cricket had tilted the equation in batter’s favour.
Saliva or sweat comes to a bowlers’ rescue as they look to shine the ball to gain swing or drift. But in a post corona world, like many other things, cricket, too, will change, and that’s not a piece of great news for the bowlers.
Sachin Tendulkar, who turned 47 today, has advised people across the globe to concentrate more on hygiene in the fight against the novel coronavirus. Tendulkar spoke on the changes cricket could observe in the post-corona world.
Also Read: The day I met Sachin Tendulkar
“Shining the ball will change, I think. Everyone will be conscious of maintaining social distancing, giving high-fives to each other and hugging after celebrating the fall of a wicket,” Tendulkar told Reuters.
“I don’t think those things are going to happen. It may happen instinctively, but consciously players would want to make sure that they follow certain norms. During this period, personal hygiene has been at the forefront,” the legend added.
There were several tours (home and away) for every country this year, but Tendulkar feels everyone should get a fair chance. “I would like to believe that some tours are getting postponed rather than being called off,” said Tendulkar.
He also added, “The whole world has come to a standstill, it applies to all cricket playing nations. The whole calendar can be moved forward a little bit without altering too many things. I know the timings of the cricket season are different in different continents and that needs a closer look at.”
Though some countries are planning of sporting action in empty stadiums to maintain social distancing and avoid crowd but sport behind closed doors and game without fans is not an option for Tendulkar.
“Empty stadiums would be so disappointing for players who are competing. There are a lot of times when players respond to spectators. If I play a good shot and how the crowd responds also brings in that energy,” Tendulkar told PTI.
Sachin also feels that mental health is a vital feature that was ignored, but the ongoing coronavirus has brought it into the limelight.
“I think mental fitness is an important element which everyone consciously or unconsciously ignores. That needs to be addressed. If you are feeling mentally disturbed, you should have the right people around you to support you, encourage you and pull you out of that rut,” Sachin commented.
Meanwhile, Sachin is not celebrating his 47th birthday as a mark of respect for frontline workers who are working hard in the outbreak.
Gillespie expresses concerns
Jason Gillespie, the former Australian pacer, stated that players might have to shine the ball in front of the umpires hereafter.
“I don’t think it’s a quirky question. It’s an actual genuine thing to be considered. I don’t think anything is off the table. It could be a point where at the end of each over, the umpires allow the players to shine the ball in front of them but you can only do it then,” Gillespie told ABC Grandstand.
“I don’t know. Is it just sweat? Can you only use sweat?. I don’t have an answer to that, but it certainly will be a conversation that will be had. If you think about it, it is pretty gross,” he added.
Australian pacer Pat Cummins spoke about the New Zealand-Australia ODI in the wake of the pandemic last month.
“The one-dayer (series vs NZ), we made it clear we’re obviously really keen to play, but ... the way we shined the ball didn’t change. Obviously different with red ball. As a bowler I think it would be pretty tough going if we couldn’t shine the ball in a Test,” Cummins said.
Sports is too small a part in the larger context of survival. The virus has infected more than 2.66 million people; thus, many sporting events, including cricket, have been halted.
