Gautam Gambhir expressed his views on the introduction of two new balls in ODI cricket, terming it “the worst thing that has happened in cricket”.
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Speaking to R Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Gautam Gambhir spoke about how two new balls in ODI cricket have taken away the effectiveness of finger spinners. The switch was made in 2011 after complaints around the white ball’s inability to retain its colour for the full 50 overs.
The ball used to be changed after 34 overs with an old ball before the ICC introduced the using two new balls from either end, reprising an idea the organisers of the 1992 World Cup had experimented with.
Gambhir, however, is completely opposed to the concept. “The worst thing that has happened in cricket is the introduction of two new balls,” he told Ashwin. “You’ve taken the entire skill of a finger spinner away from the game, whether it’s a left-arm spinner or off spinner.
“You’ve got two new balls, you’ve got five fielders inside, how do you expect a finger spinner to get anything out of a surface and how do you expect a finger spinner to be included in the playing XI?”
Gambhir explained why finger-spinners who did magnificently in Test cricket were unable to make it big in ODIs due to this change: “You’ve taken out two of the best finger spinners in the world, you [Ashwin] and Nathan Lyon. The reason why you guys didn’t play was there was nothing for you guys.
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“If you were bowling the 20th over, you’re bowling with a 10-over new ball, and with five fielders inside and on a flat track. And with big bats, and with power-hitters, and with small boundaries, and on top of that DRS.
“It’s not about you and Nathan Lyon. It’s about the job of ICC. The job of ICC is that you promote every kind of bowler who wants to become an off spinner and finger spinner. Tell me how many youngsters going forward want to take up finger spin? This art of bowling off spin or left-arm spin, no one would want to, because they know they’ve got no future in white-ball cricket.”
Gambhir added that the ball getting discoloured was a manufacturing problem to solve and not a reason to start using two new balls instead: “It’s not a player’s problem. If the ball manufacturer can’t keep the ball in good shape for 50 overs, might as well change the manufacturer. Don’t introduce two new balls because one ball can’t hold whatever colour for 50 overs. That’s a manufacturer’s problem.
“When people talk about taking wickets in the middle innings suddenly they realise that the only wicket-takers could be wrist spinners. Unless you’ve got a carrom ball or a flicker, but where is the art of bowling genuine off spin or a left-arm spin which can beat people in the air or off the wicket as well?
“Because there’s nothing off the wicket and you’ve got five fielders inside. So I think ICC has messed it up and we can change it going forward and have one ball for entire 50 overs.”
