Published 15:28 IST, December 8th 2020
Sourav Ganguly has say on controversial 'switch hit' after Ian Chappell's explosive remark
India vs Australia 2020: Former Indian captain and current BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his views on the controversial switch hit debate.
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Australia vs India ODI series which hosts won 2-1 recently was in news for several reasons. One of major debates that sparked during course of series was use of switch hits. For unversed, a switch hit involves effectively changing from a right-hander to a left-hander or vice-versa just before ball is delivered by bowler for purpose of executing shot.
ALSO READ | Glenn Maxwell rebukes Ian Chappell's 'switch hit ban' call, challenges bowlers to stop him
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Sourav Ganguly reckons 'switch hit' can't be taken away from batsmen
re has been a lot of hullabaloo over use of switch hit after Australian batsmen Glenn Maxwell and David Warner used it on multiple occasions during ODI series. Several reactions have poured in over legality of shot by fans and cricketing pundits alike. While some have favoured use of switch hit, ors have termed it as 'illegal' by saying that it provides an undue advant to batsmen in a game which is already favourable to batters.
w, former Indian captain and current BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his views on use of switch-hitting. While speaking to Mid-Day, Ganguly said that game has evolved. According to Indian veteran, popular stroke cant be taken away from modern-day batsmen. Ganguly's statement contradicts views of veteran cricketing analysts Ian Chappell and Harsha Bhogle.
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ALSO READ | India vs Australia 2020: Hardik, Jadeja took game away from us with clean-hitting: Maxwell
Recently, Chappell and Bhogle also had opened up on use of unconventional shot. Chappell said that hitting those kinds of shots was unfair and should be illegal. While speaking on Wide World of Sports, Chappell said that he'd prefer to see a contest rar than batting exhibitions. He added that switch-hitting is very skilful, some of it is amazingly skilful, but it's t fair.
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Chappell said that bowlers have to tell umpire how and which side y're going to bowl from. On or hand, a batsman who lines up as a right-hander can become a left-hander before ball has been delivered which he said was unfair because as fielding captain, he is setting field for right-hander. Chappell reckoned that one of main reasons why Maxwell is becoming a left-hander is so that he can take advant of those field placings. He added that he'd love administrators who made those laws to explain to him how that's fair.
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Bhogle had also seconded Chappell's views and expressed his voice on matter. Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, December 1, Bhogle wrote that he has t been a fan of stance-changing shot for a long time. According to cricket expert and veteran commentator, shot is unfair for bowlers as y set fields for a right-handed batsman who later becomes a left-hander.
Maxwell, who regularly plays switch hit, had also defended shot saying that it is well within laws of game. Speaking on Maxwell switch hit, Australian all-rounder opined that batting has evolved in such a way that it's just got better and better over years which is why people are seeing se massive scores getting chased down and scores going up. Maxwell also said that bowlers should also try and invate as batsmen have.
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Maxwell switch hit was once again on display during onging India vs Australia 3rd T20I. At time of publishing this article, Australia had scored 157/2 after 17 overs with Maxwell batting on 46 off 28 and Matw Wade batting on 76 off 50 balls.
SOURCE: SOURAV GANGULY INSTAGRAM
15:28 IST, December 8th 2020