Ian Chappell says umpires should signal 'dead-ball' if batsman attempts the switch-hit

Former Australia skipper Ian Chappell has suggested that the umpires should term the delivery as a 'dead-ball' if the batsman plays a switch-hit of a particular delivery. Switch-hit has become a subject of debate yet again as the cricketing fraternity remains divided whether the shot is in the spirit of the game. For example, when a batsman plays switch-hit, he changes his grip, and becomes a left-handed batsman, sending field positions for a toss.

This is the second time Chappell is urging that the unorthodox cricketing shot be banned from the game completely. He had once come out with this statement during the ODI series after Australia's power-hitter Glenn Maxwell had played a couple of stellar yet quickfire knocks in the first two matches where he had made use of his trademark reverse sweep at regular intervals. 

Nonetheless, Maxwell not the one to back out and had reverse swept chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav into the stands during the dead-rubber third ODI last week and made a statement to his countryman.

'Dead-ball': Ian Chappell

"In this case, Maxwell faced up in his normal manner as a right-hander, but before Kuldeep Yadav delivered the ball, he altered his stance and grip on the bat to effectively become a left-hander. Maxwell's shot was an amazing example of skill and superb hand-eye coordination, but was it fair? The answer is a resounding no, as far as I'm concerned," said Chappell while speaking to  ESPNCricinfo.

"One of the main tasks of a cricket administrator is to frame laws that maintain a reasonable balance between bat and ball. If the laws or playing conditions favour one or the other unfairly then the game becomes a diminished contest. The square-leg umpire is already paying close attention to the batsman's feet in case there is a stumping, so he'll notice any change of order. If a batsman changes the order of his feet, then the square-leg umpire ought to simply declare the ball dead and no runs result," the cricketer-turned-commentator analyst added.

 

READ: Amid Calls To Ban Switch-hit, Glenn Maxwell Reverse Sweeps Yadav For A Maximum In 3rd ODI

'But it's not fair': Chappell

During an earlier interview, the elder Chappell had termed the switch-hit as an 'illegal shot and at the same time also argued that even though the shot is amazingly skillful but it is 'not fair'.

"The Australian batting has been exceptional. They've made it look pretty easy...particularly Smith and Maxwell, some of the shots he plays are hard to believe. (Switch-hitting) is amazingly skillful - but it's not fair," said Chappell while speaking to  Wide World of Sports.

"It's very simple. Maxwell hit a couple of (switch-hit) shots and Warner did (Sunday) night. All you've got to say is that if the batsman changes the order of his hands or his feet (as the bowler runs in), then it's an illegal shot," he said.

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(With ANI Inputs)