Legalising ball tampering: Saliva is must & vaseline is no replacement, feel Nehra, Bhajji

Saliva and sweat are components that cant be entirely done away with, insist a few distinguished India cricketers, as ICC contemplates legalising ball-tampering post-COVID-19 by using artificial substances to prevent virus spread. Former India pacer Ashish Nehra and spinner Harbhajan Singh feel that saliva's use in shining ball is a "must". Ex-opener Aakash Chopra, while beng open to idea, wants to kw where one can draw line. While discussions are at nascent st, questions are already being asked about what external substances could be used if ball-tampering becomes legal? 

Saliva is must and vaseline is replacement

Is it going to be bottle cap in pocket to scuff up one side of ball, vaseline to shine (made famous by John Lever) or chain zipper?

"Get one thing clear at onset. ball will t swing if you don't apply sweat or saliva on ball. That's basic necessity of swing bowling. moment ball gets scuffed up from one side, sweat and saliva must be applied on or side," Nehra, who completely shot down idea of using external substances, told PTI.

He went on to explain why vaseline alone can't help a pacer. "w let's understand why do you need saliva? Sweat is heavier than saliva but both are heavy eugh to make one side of ball heavier for reverse swing. Vaseline comes into picture only after sweat and saliva, t before that.  "It is lighter and doesn't even ensure conventional swing. It can keep shine but doesn't make ball heavy," World Cup-winning former pacer said.

Nehra n gave example of Englishman Lever who created a furore during his team's 1976 tour of India by applying vaseline during a Test match. "I can bet Lever used sweat and saliva and n applied vaseline. Vaseline only helps ball to skid and thing more. You apply vaseline only, ball will just go straight. You can check that with any fast bowler," he said. Harbhajan also agreed that saliva if one has already chewed mint, which has sugar in it, makes it heavier. But when it comes to using external substance, he wants to kw what can be options.

"It's t that murray mint can be used without putting it in your mouth. coat of sugar on saliva makes it heavier after one side gets scuffed. A scuffed up ball is also good for spinners as it ensures a better grip than a shiny new ball. But my question is, if you allow, what's limit?

"Suppose you legalise ball tampering and let people use bottle cap. w ball starts reversing from fifth over. Is it fair? Or may be umpires come into play and y tell you w is time when you can use external substance. 

"I mean, in any case, taking saliva out of equation means taking swing out which may t be good idea," said owner of 700-plus international wickets.

Former opener Chopra said that unless ICC comes up with something concrete as to what are external elements that can be used "it's all conjecture". "I always felt that allowing mint shouldn't be a problem. But w y have gone to extent that y don't want to allow mint. But w if you change rule, ok let's allow m to use finger nails, vaseline, w where does it stop God kws," said Chopra, who is also a respected analyst. "Spinners won't mind as y do get a bit of drift if ball is kept shiny from one side. So y won't actually mind as long as you are t landing shiny surface of ball," Chopra said. 

Im credits: PTI