Sachin Tendulkar, Brett Lee discuss rules for bowlers post COVID-19; Watch video

As cricketing affairs near resumption after being brought to a halt earlier due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has approved the interim changes recommended by the committee led by Anil Kumble. The changes include the widely criticised ban on the use of saliva to maintain the shine on the ball. Cricketing greats and on-field rivals Sachin Tendulkar and Brett Lee recently gave their opinion and discussed the new measures.

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Sachin Tendulkar and Brett Lee call for alternate substance for the ball instead of saliva

Brett Lee believes age-old bowlers' habit is difficult to stop

Sachin Tendulkar and Brett Lee recently made an appearance on 100MB Sports. In the video, the two legendary figures talked about the new measures and discussed how the contest between bat and ball can be kept more balanced in the game. Brett Lee said that bowlers will find the new rule difficult to adjust to because most of them have been using saliva for shining the ball from a young age. Lee was of the opinion that it will be hard for them to stop an age-old habit altogether and also equally difficult for match officials to keep monitoring the same.

Addressing several former cricketers' calls for allowing bowlers to use sweat instead, Brett Lee said that players could face trouble in doing so in the presence of cold conditions with less humidity. The Australian great added that one cannot use sweat if they are not sweating in the first place and called for ICC to look into the situation. Lee suggested that ICC should give bowlers a different substance to apply on the ball instead.

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Sachin Tendulkar calls for new ball rule change

Sachin Tendulkar, on the other hand, believes ICC should allow a new ball in a Test match after 50 overs instead of the traditional 80 overs. The batting icon also called for the use of wax for the bowlers to apply on the ball. Sachin Tendulkar added that each team must be allocated a certain quantity of wax per innings which they can keep using for maintaining the shine on the ball.

International cricket resumes with West Indies' tour of England

International cricket is set to resume with the three-match Test series between England and West Indies in July. The West Indies team arrived in the UK on Tuesday, June 9 and has entered its 'bio-secure bubble' to complete the quarantine process. The first match of the series will be played between July 8 and July 12 at the Ageas Bowl. The second and third Tests will be played at Old Trafford and the series will conclude on July 28.

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Also Read | ICC Affirms Anil Kumble Committee Suggestions: 'COVID-19 Replacements' Allowed, Ban On Saliva