There is a raging debate on whether the use of sweat and saliva should be banned once cricket resumes after the COVID-19 pandemic but seamer Jaydev Unadkat feels these components won’t make much of a difference with the white ball.
Unadkat, who has played 7 ODIs and 10 T20Is for India, is a sought-after name in the IPL and plies his trade for Rajasthan Royals.
“I think white ball won’t be a problem as a whole. Even in ODIs, you will be using two new balls 25 overs each. Reverse swing has never been a big factor in white-ball cricket,” Unadkat told PTI during an interaction.
The Ranji Trophy-winning Saurashtra captain said the reason behind that is that the coat of white lacquer requires little or no sweat or saliva for swing.
“White lacquer remains shiny even if you just rub it on your trousers while for red ball, the red lacquer and the red leather demands that we shine it more with saliva and sweat,” the left-arm seamer said.
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Even for red-ball cricket, Unadkat feels that precautions will be necessary only if cricket starts before the pandemic has subsided completely.
“If we start closed doors, then probably certain precautions will be mandatory.”
Unadkat says a prolonged break also means that he will be on even keel with some of the other bowlers who would be vying for their places in the Indian team for the World T20.
In fact, had the IPL started on March 29, Unadkat would have barely gotten three weeks rest after a gruelling domestic season where he carried the burden of Saurashtra bowling.
“To be honest, the big break evens out a lot of things as far as team selection is concerned. A lot will depend on whether one can carry the form through the break and on who can can come out sooner.
“You can’t really judge now. You don't know how big the break will be. Even if I don’t get match time sooner, if we get practice time sooner, it won’t take much time to get back into rhythm.”
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