You want to have a slight advantage - Mohammed Shami finds support from Tim Southee on the topic of reverse swing

India put in a rock-solid display against Australia in the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy to clinch a final berth against New Zealand. Mohammed Shami spearheaded the Indian bowling battery, clinching three wickets while he had decent support from the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and Varun Chakravarthy.

Following the win against Australia, Shami pointed out to the reporters that he is consistently putting in the efforts to try and emanate reverse-swing. In order to do so, ahead of the Covid 19 pandemic, bowlers would persistently use their saliva to keep one side of the ball shiny. However, following the pandemic, ICC banned the use of saliva temporarily and then made it permanent in September 2022.

Shami said, “We are trying [to get reverse swing], but the usage of saliva on the ball is not allowed. We keep appealing that we should be allowed to use saliva so that we can bring reverse swing back into the game and it becomes interesting."

Bolstering his claim, New Zealand fast-bowler, Tim Southee has now also chimed in with his support, stating, “That was a rule brought around Covid with the virus going around the world, but I think as a bowler, you want to have a slight advantage.”

Talking to ESPNCricinfo, Southee further added, “We see the game going the way it's going and seeing sides score 362 and more often than not over 300 in this format. I think there needs to be something in the bowlers' favour, and whether that's a little bit of saliva, then yeah, I don't see why they couldn't afford to get that back in."

It is going to be a fine battle of two teams squeezing out their hearts and souls on the pitch, come Sunday for the hallowed crown of the ICC Champions Trophy. India got the better of the Aussies in the first semi-final of the tournament while New Zealand bested South Africa in a pulsating run-fest to sail into the finale.