Umesh Yadav thinks saliva ban will pose difficulty in reverse swinging the ball

India pacer Umesh Yadav is of the belief that the reverse swinging the ball due to saliva ban will be difficult. However, Yadav clarified that he was not worried much right now and would think about it only after returning to training.

“Yes, it will be difficult to suddenly start playing without the saliva. We haven’t started practising yet, once I get on the ground and practice playing without the use of saliva only then I will know how effective it is. With the old ball it’s still okay, but with the new ball, I don’t know how much it will shine minus the saliva,” Umesh told IANS.

“As the white ball swings for a less time, so for T20s it’s okay. But the main problem will be when we will play Test matches. If we can’t use saliva then we will have to think of new techniques to make the ball swing. Once practice starts only then we will know how to tackle it,” added Umesh.

Anil Kumble led ICC cricket committee had suggested to temporarily ban the use of saliva to avoid the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak. And last week the interim change was approved.

The new rules prohibit players from using the saliva to maintain the shine on the ball. In case a player is found violating the rule, umpires will manage the situation with some leniency. But in due course, the players will have to adjust otherwise the team will receive a warning. 

According to the rules, the bowling team can be issued two warnings per innings and in case of a breach, there will be a penalty of 5 runs. Since using saliva to shine the ball is an intrinsic part of a bowler’s skill, the umpires will have to be extra careful and not allow further play without cleaning the ball.