Bhuvneshwar urges ICC to come up with artificial way to shine balls

India fast-bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar feels ICC needs to come up with some other way for players to shine the ball as the use of saliva has been banned in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

India fast-bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar feels the International Cricket Council (ICC) needs to come up with some other way for players to shine the ball as the use of saliva has been banned in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

Saliva ban on match ball has been one of the most talked-about regulations that has been imposed by the ICC looking at the virus threat.

Bhuvneshwar said that bowlers need to shine the ball in order to make it move around so the international cricket body has to come up with a solution so that players can still shine the ball without using saliva.

"I hope the ICC comes up with some artificial way by which we can shine the ball. You need to do it when you bowl in swinging conditions in (places like) England. Even the spinners need it," Bhuvneshwar said at a webinar organised by GainAccess Sports & Entertainment and Sportz Power.

Bhuvneshwar also spoke about the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, which remains suspended indefinitely due to coronavirus pandemic. It was originally slated to be begin on March 29.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still looking to host the tournament this year and if the T20 World Cup, currently scheduled to be played in October-November in Australia later this year, gets cancelled due to the pandemic then that window could be used by the Indian cricket board for the cash-rich league.

"The IPL must happen. The tournament is important for both cricketing and financial reasons," Bhuvneshwar said.

--IANS

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