Jasprit Bumrah feels ICC should provide an alternative to saliva

Star Indian cricket team pacer Jasprit Bumrah feels that ICC should provide an alternative to saliva for bowlers as a means to shine the ball.

Speaking to Ian Bishop and Shaun Pollock on the ICC's video series 'Inside Out', Jasprit Bumrah opened up about the prospect of returning to the cricket field and how his training has been going so far under the lockdown.

“I don't know what guidelines we'll have to follow when we come back, but I feel there should be an alternative. If the ball is not well maintained, it's difficult for the bowlers. So we need something, some alternative for the bowlers to maintain the ball so that it can do something maybe reverse in the end or conventional swing.”said Jasprit Bumrah

The International Cricket Committee, under the leadership of Anil Kumble, has recommended a ban on using saliva in a post-COVID-19 world as an interim measure but no substitute has been provided as of now.

The cricket ball needs constant care throughout a match and saliva plays a pivotal role as players routinely shine the ball to make it perfect for reverse-swinging, a craft Jasprit Bumrah has mastered of late.

When further asked whether the social-distancing norms would affect the post-wicket celebrations and high-fives, the ace pacer claimed that it wouldn't change too much for him.

"I was not much of a hugger anyway and not a high-five person as well, so that doesn't trouble me a lot," Jasprit Bumrah added.

Jasprit Bumrah burst onto the scene by making quite an impression for the Mumbai Indians in IPL, apart from gigantic strides in the international arena since his debut four years ago.

Initially dubbed as a limited-overs bowler only, Jasprit Bumrah has steadily silenced his critics with a string of impressive performances both in Indian conditions and overseas with the red cherry.

On being prodded by Bishop if Test match conditions suited his game more, Jasprit Bumrah replied in affirmative.

"In Test match cricket, yes. That is why it's my favourite format, because we have something over there. But in one-day there are two new balls, so it hardly reverses at the end," he added.

The coronavirus outbreak has forced the bowler to take a break from the game but as per his admission, he has been training even in this lockdown and keeping in shape to be match-fit once cricket resumes.