India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey in favour of early starts at 2023 ODI World Cup

In a video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin had used India’s first ODI against Sri Lanka in Guwahati as an example to suggest that dew gives chasing teams an undue advantage.

India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has endorsed Ravichandran Ashwin’s suggestion of starting the World Cup matches early to counter the dew factor. | Photo Credit: PTI

India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has endorsed Ravichandran Ashwin’s suggestion of starting the World Cup matches early to eliminate undue advantage to the side batting second due to the dew factor.

“Ashwin’s point is valid. If you look at it, dew does play a part at some venues. When the ball does get old, it tilts in favour of the batting side. The ball doesn’t spin, the ball comes (nicely) off the wicket. It (the dew factor) makes batting easy,” Mhambrey said on Friday, ahead of India’s second ODI versus New Zealand.

“It’s a call that I can’t take. The ICC and the Board have to discuss it. It’s an important point, something that can be looked into. Both the teams can play on a level playing field.”

Ashwin had recently suggested on his YouTube channel that the World Cup games could start at 11.30 am to avoid lending an unfair advantage to the chasing side. Captain Rohit Sharma also endorsed the idea earlier this week.

‘Interesting question’

Mitchell Santner, the New Zealand allrounder, also backed the idea. “I guess it’s an interesting question because we saw in the (T20) World Cup in Dubai (in 2021), where every team won chasing just because of the dew factor. That (an early start) is one way to eliminate the dew,” Santner said.

“If the pitch stays the same throughout, it can be an option. But if there’s no dew, it starts to spin later in the second innings. Thankfully it’s not me making all those decisions.”