Bhuvneshwar Kumar: IPL must happen for cricketing and financial reasons

India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is concerned about maintaining the shine on the ball without using saliva. He expects the ICC to introduce an alternative.

India pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is concerned about maintaining the shine on the ball without using saliva.

 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar wants to play the IPL this year.

“The IPL must happen. The tournament is important for both cricketing and financial reasons,” said the India pacer at a webinar on Saturday.

Bhuvneshwar, who has 236 international wickets, had not expected the coronavirus outbreak to last this long. “After the first ODI against South Africa (which was washed out at Dharamsala on March 12), we were scheduled to play the second match at Lucknow, but the entire series was abandoned,” he said. “I was coming back to the Indian team after a gap of four months, following an injury. I had then thought it (the problem created by the virus) would be soon over.”

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One potential problem the coronavirus created for swing bowlers like him was the ban on using saliva on the ball. “I hope the ICC comes up with some artificial way by which we can shine the ball. You need to do it when you bowl in swinging conditions in (places like) England. Even the spinners need it,” he said.

M.C. Mary Kom, the six-time World boxing champion, was also part of the panel. She stressed on the need of being completely fit, even during the lockdown. “I train everyday. I keep myself fit though I don't have all the equipment to train at home.”

Mary welcomed the decision to postpone the Olympics to 2021. She will be aiming to win her second Olympic medal in Tokyo.