By Vivek Prabhakar Singh
On Sunday, Indian fast-bowling stalwart Umesh Yadav commented on the lifting of the saliva ban in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He mentioned that this change would be beneficial for bowlers in limited-overs cricket, particularly when using a brand-new ball. This statement was made from Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India, as reported by ANI on March 30.
Umesh attended an AstroLawn event in Greater Noida.
Regarding the saliva ban, Umesh stated, “It could have an impact on white-ball cricket. However, it really hinges on the circumstances, as some evening games get damp from dew, making spit less relevant then. With a fresh ball, though, spit plays a crucial role... Thus, I believe this return is quite positive. It will greatly benefit fast bowlers.”
Regarding Jasprit Bumrah, the lead pacer for India, Umesh stated that he is presently the finest bowler of this era, entirely due to his "dedication, training, and strategic mindset."
"When you have that talent, it is important to showcase it. When Bumrah came, and the way he has grown, he has always tried to do better. That is why he is here at this level. It is his hard work, practice and thinking that have brought him here. When he started in the IPL and worked with Lasith Malinga, his Yorker got better. He learnt a lot within such a short time and now he is the best fast bowler of this generation," said Umesh about his teammate.
Speaking of if the T20s have become excessively batting-friendly, Umesh said that the format will always be batter friendly as the ball does not get worn out much and there is barely any reverse swing.
"T20 was always dominant for batters. The ball does not swing or reverse during 20 overs. The ball does not get that worn out in T20s. The white ball does not move much, and wickets are often flat. If you do not execute well in T20s, you will go for runs. If one focuses on their execution and line or length, they get rewarded too. If a team scores 280, it could be because of poor execution. It will forever remain a batter-dominated game. In IPL, teams would be aiming to score as much as possible," said Umesh.
Speaking about MS Dhoni coming to bat at number nine during a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) home match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Umesh said, "It depends on the team or Dhoni himself. They decide his position." (ANI)