ZCZC
BSP-19
CRICKET-IND-ENG-BUMRAH
India’s Bumrah rues no saliva rule on flat Chennai deck
CHENNAI, India, Feb 5, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – India quick Jasprit Bumrah on Friday
blamed a coronavirus ban on shining the ball with saliva for bowlers not
getting more wickets against England on day one of the opening Test.
England finished on 263 for three with skipper Joe Root batting on 128
after completing his century in his 100th Test at the start of the four-match
series in Chennai.
Bumrah, playing his first Test at home, claimed two wickets including Dom
Sibley out lbw for 87 in the final over of the day as stumps were called.
But Bumrah, known as a yorker specialist, said it was tough to maintain
the old ball without applying saliva – a practice that aids reverse swing.
“When the wicket is on flatter side, because of new COVID-19 rules, there
are very limited options to shine the ball, so in India the ball gets scuffed
easily,” Bumrah told reporters.
“So to make the ball heavy you have to shine one side sometimes. With
sweat it doesn’t really serve the purpose. But these are the rules and we
have to make do with what we have at the moment.”
The International Cricket Council (ICC) last year implemented the ban at
the peak of the pandemic after receiving medical advice that spit posed a
COVID-19 transmission risk.
Bowlers traditionally get the ball to move in the air, deceiving the
batsman, by shining one side using sweat or saliva.
The SG ball used in Indian Test matches and in use in Chennai became
scuffed up after 40 overs. The second new ball is due after 80 overs in one
innings of a five-day game.
Root and Sibley put on 200 runs for the third wicket to thwart the Indian
bowling on what appeared to be a good batting wicket at Chennai’s MA
Chidambaram Stadium.
“We are not trying to complain how the wicket is but trying to figure out
the solutions and solve that,” said Bumrah.
BSS/AFP/BZC/2005HRS