Sourav Ganguly has say on controversial 'switch hit' after Ian Chappell's explosive remark

The Australia vs India ODI series which the hosts won 2-1 recently was in the news for several reasons. One of the major debates that sparked during the course of the series was the use of switch hits. For the unversed, a switch hit involves effectively changing from a right-hander to a left-hander or vice-versa just before the ball is delivered by the bowler for the purpose of executing the shot.

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Sourav Ganguly reckons 'switch hit' can't be taken away from batsmen

There has been a lot of hullabaloo over the use of switch hit after Australian batsmen Glenn Maxwell and David Warner used it on multiple occasions during the ODI series. Several reactions have poured in over the legality of the shot by fans and cricketing pundits alike. While some have favoured the use of switch hit, others have termed it as 'illegal' by saying that it provides an undue advantage to the batsmen in a game which is already favourable to the batters.

Now, former Indian captain and current BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his views on the use of switch-hitting. While speaking to Mid-Day, Ganguly said that the game has evolved. According to the Indian veteran, the popular stroke cannot be taken away from the modern-day batsmen. Ganguly's statement contradicts the views of veteran cricketing analysts Ian Chappell and Harsha Bhogle.

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Recently, Chappell and Bhogle also had opened up on the use of the 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 rather than batting exhibitions. He added that switch-hitting is very skilful, some of it is amazingly skilful, but it's not fair.

Chappell said that the bowlers have to tell the umpire how and which side they're going to bowl from. On the other hand, a batsman who lines up as a right-hander can become a left-hander before the ball has been delivered which he said was unfair because as the fielding captain, he is setting the field for the right-hander. Chappell reckoned that one of the main reasons why Maxwell is becoming a left-hander is so that he can take advantage of those field placings. He added that he'd love the 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 the matter. Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, December 1, Bhogle wrote that he has not been a fan of the stance-changing shot for a long time. According to the cricket expert and veteran commentator, the shot is unfair for bowlers as they set fields for a right-handed batsman who later becomes a left-hander.

Maxwell, who regularly plays the switch hit, had also defended the shot saying that it is well within the laws of the game. Speaking on the Maxwell switch hit, the Australian all-rounder opined that batting has evolved in such a way that it's just got better and better over the years which is why people are seeing these massive scores getting chased down and scores going up. Maxwell also said that bowlers should also try and innovate as batsmen have.

The Maxwell switch hit was once again on display during the onging India vs Australia 3rd T20I. At the time of publishing this article, Australia had scored 157/2 after 17 overs with Maxwell batting on 46 off 28 and Matthew Wade batting on 76 off 50 balls.

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SOURCE: SOURAV GANGULY INSTAGRAM