In an interaction with Brett Lee on his 100 MB app, Sachin Tendulkar suggested solutions to the crisis the bowlers are set to face due to the ban on the usage of saliva for shining the ball.
The Master Blaster proposed that a new ball should be allowed to take by the bowling team after every 40-50 overs, instead of 80 overs, in a Test match. However, he made sure that it must be optional and not compulsory.
Tendulkar further suggested that both the umpires can contain a bottle of wax and a bowling team should be allowed to use a particular amount of that material each innings to shine the ball.
Lee, on the other hand, suggested that the wickets need to be made more sporting so that the bowlers remained in the game and an even contest could be fought.
“I think bowlers life may get a little tough, you can make the wicket a little more on the sporting side, there can be something more for the fast bowlers,” Lee said.
The 43-year-old also said that if the players were already staying in a bio-secure bubble they could be tested before the game and if they turn negative, the game could be played as usual.
ICC during its meeting in April had discussed the use of artificial substances like vaseline to shine the ball in order to keep the players away from using saliva and sweat to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The ICC Cricket Committee then, led by former Indian captain Anil Kumble, suggested the international governing body of cricket to ban the use of saliva on the ball.
The decision by the governing body has enraged many bowlers around the world who have argued that the latest development would further tilt the game in batsmen’s favour. Many bowlers their concern outrightly and asked for an alternative substance to shine the ball.
However, Kumble had said that the change was temporary and that the ICC did not wish to legalise any external substance to shine the ball as it could pave the way for increasing incidents of ball-tampering.