Yuzvendra Chahal reveals how ICC's saliva ban will impact the spinners apart from pacers

India's frontline spinner Yuzvendra Chahal reckons that it is not just the pacers who will be at a disadvantage due to the ban on use of saliva but spinners too will suffer as they won't get the required drift during middle overs. The International Cricket Council ( ICC) has banned the use of saliva on the ball as an interim health safety measure in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic -a move that has raised concerns about the game becoming, even more, batting friendly.

READ: Wrist-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal Recalls His International Debut On This Day In 2016

'It  helps pacers with swing and spinners with the drift': Chahal

"When you use a natural element like saliva, it helps pacers with swing and spinners with the drift," Chahal said on 'ESPNCricinfo', specifically talking about white-ball cricket. "If as a spinner, I cannot get drift in the middle overs, the batsmen will have it easy. This is something that will affect every bowler in the world. I will have to figure out a solution once I start bowling in the nets," Chahal, who will be turning 30 next month, said.

Drift in cricketing terminology is the sideways movement in the air when a slow bowler tries to impart spin.

"Spinners use saliva too to maintain the shine of the ball because we are aware that pacers will bowl after us or are bowling from the other end," he added. "And I would like to maintain the condition of the ball in a way that it helps pacers whenever they come. Pacers also think the same way. When they see spinners coming, they refrain from shining the ball too much. This is how we plan things", he further added.

Coming back to cricketing action, Yuzi Chahal was all set to represent Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2020 that was originally scheduled to be held on March 29 but as of now has been suspended indefinitely due to the global pandemic. The Virat Kohli-led side would be hoping to win their maiden IPL crown after failing to cross the final hurdle thrice in 2009, 2011, and 2016 editions respectively. 

(With PTI Inputs)

(Image Courtesy: AP)