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Bowlers laud Anil Kumble's 12 overs per ODI idea. posted under: International | All news |
 Anil Kumble has always been a fighter for the bowlers, going out of his way to make the batsman-friendly game a little more even. His latest proposal to allow one bowler a maximum of 12 overs in a One Day International has a lot of support, including some of the best bowlers in the world.
“This will give the team the much-needed boost. It will mean the captain can be more strategic, and the best bowler of the day would look to make the best of his form. I think it will be good for the game. It will make batting a more challenging job when the best bowler of the innings gets 12 extra balls. It will set up a nice contest. It is not just fast bowlers, but slow bowlers can also benefit. The captain can pick bowlers according to the situation,” he was quoted saying.
Former India fast bowler Ajit Agarkar was quoted saying that this was an “interesting” move and would make the game more challenging. He brought up the important fact that if any bowler was having an off-day, the team could replace him with someone in form, making it a crucial 12 balls.
L. Balaji also welcomed the proposal wholeheartedly. He pointed out that if this move was completed, the captain wouldn’t have to worry about preserving his top bowler and that the bowlers could have extra room, be more attacking and get more wickets.
On the other hand, Venkatesh Prasad, a former India seamer and bowling coach was a little cautious. He was quoted saying: “I am not sure if the ICC (International Cricket Council) would approve the move, because the proposal gives advantage to the bowlers. One particular bowler, having a great day, will stand to make the most, which will mean teams would be strictly picked according to the pitches. If the track encourages seamers, spinners would be dumped because the best seamer would get to bowl 12 overs. We have a new ball at each end now and there is one Power Play less. One-day cricket is for batsmen and the bowlers need to accept that and work on their skills.”
Later on, Kumble confessed that he had this move on his mind for quite some time as he wanted the bowlers to be more aggressive. He added that right now, the game was getting very predictable because the opposition knew when the best bowler would come and would plan accordingly.
“We can see more five-wicket hauls. And why not? Taking five wickets in a one-day match is a feat just as scoring a century. The opportunities for the bowlers have always been limited. The best bowler of the day will have greater incentive to go for wickets now,” he added. |
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