Shamik Chakrabarty, Colombo
Saransh Jain’s first ball in Test cricket was illegal. He overstepped by a big margin. It could be attributed to the nerves of his debut, but the off-spinner bowled one more no-ball in Sri Lanka’s first innings, where he bowled 20.4 overs.
In Sri Lanka’s second innings, the debutant has so far bowled 17.4 overs and has overstepped on four occasions.
Ravindra Jadeja, the veteran who is prone to bowling no-balls, especially when he is bowling an effort delivery, transgressed thrice in Sri Lanka’s first innings and once in the second.
How Sunil Gavaskar would have reacted if he were in the dressing room as their skipper is a matter of conjecture. Or maybe not. A slow bowler overstepping is beyond reproach for the legendary former India captain, and time and again he has voiced his disapproval on public platforms.
The Indian team coaching staff, too, is taking the matter seriously. “To be honest, definitely, it is something which we have been working on,” said Sairaj Bahutule, the spin-bowling coach, at the press conference after the fourth day’s play. “It is not that we are ignoring it. It is definitely a concern at times, but generally when the bowler is putting in that effort, trying to see how he can create that opportunity and get the wicket, in situations where wickets are not coming through, he has a tendency to push himself. But that is not an excuse.”
Maybe, a punitive measure could be the remedy. Fielding teams are punished with a free hit in white-ball cricket when a bowler oversteps. Test cricket has so far kept such a punishment at arm’s length. Does the game’s purest format, too, need the introduction of free hits to curb the no-ball habit?
“If you bowl a no-ball, there will be a consequence,” observed Bahutule. “I am no guardian of the rules but if it (free hit) comes, obviously, they will definitely reduce (no-balls). No team would want to bowl those no-balls and give that extra ball and give those extra runs.”
This goes into the territory of the ICC’s Cricket Committee. For the moment, like Bahutule said, the team needs to take up the responsibility.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news
The post Free hit in Tests will reduce no-balls: Sairaj Bahutule appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.
