The IPL is about to start in Mumbai from the 21st with RCB taking on MI. BCCI has announced a couple of rule changes for the IPL. They can because none of the leagues follow the ICC rules to the tee. Every franchise cricket tweak the rules a little bit to make the game a bit more interesting where it is so difficult to because the format is overwhelmingly in favour of the batsmen. The ICC will implement a new rule from the next cyle of the WTC. I cannot say whether it is a good move. The ACB is proving that they are such hypocrites. Also, some other reports from around the world.
The rule changes
During the IPL, teams will be allowed to use a second newish ball after 10 overs. The catch is that this is applicable for evening games only where the dew is a major factor. The BCCI seems to have felt that the dew has given the chasing team a lot of benefit. Bowlers were unable to grip the ball properly under such circumstances. The ball will also have to be like-for-like replacement. In a sense, the replacement ball will also have to contain the same wear and tear of a 10-overs old ball. This should not be a problem because it is easy to find a 10-overs old ball or the board can always find quite a lot of bowlers and make them bowl with a new ball until it is 10-overs old. It must be noted that this is not a mandatory change of ball. Rather, the fielding captain can request for a replacement after 10 overs. If there is a lack of dew, the fielding captain will be insane to request for one. Nevertheless, I think that this is a welcome move. For too long, I have been advocating rules that will be helpful to the bowlers. Longer boundary, slower outfield, abolishing the pitch-on-leg-stump rule etc. The game has become batsmen-friendly in white-ball cricket. Test cricket is still different in some of the nations. The bowlers have a better say but ODI and T20 are not. Any rule that will make the life of the bowler a bit better, is welcome one.
The saliva ban
The saliva ban was introduced after the Chinese virus demolished and destroyed the world in a lot of ways. This was a novel rule to try and protect the players from the virus. It has been more than three years since the abatement of the virus. Hence, it makes sense to bring back one, I cannot call it a rule because it is an aspect that has grown with the game for more than 120 years. Credit must be given to all the bowlers for resisting the temptation to apply saliva as they have got accustomed to it. It will be interesting to note how the ball behaves after the ban has been lifted.
Bonus point
The ICC is likely to ponder introduction of a bonus point for wins against higher ranked teams. This is a necessary and a significant change. At the moment, every win is counted as the same. It does not matter if Australia defeats West Indies 3-0 in Australia or Bangladesh wins 2-0 in Pakistan. The victories are all treated as the same. I have advocated for a better points system so that extraordinary wins against high quality opposition gets its due recognition. Infact, I will go onto increase this bonus points for series wins and series sweeps. For example, the New Zealand’s 3-0 win India must not only fetch them additional 3 points but a further 3 points for series win and a further 3 points for series sweep because of the sheer magnitude of the achievement. It is another matter that India is not as strong in Test cricket as they are in white-ball cricket.
Be that as it may, New Zealand must have 9 or more from that one series victory. New Zealand would have made the finals but that will also be debatable because the same New Zealand was blanked by Sri Lanka just a couple of weeks earlier. Now, another rule change is required. Just like how wins against better opponents will fetch higher points, loss against weaker opposition must attract negative points. India would have lost 9 points for their atrocious performance and New Zealand just about the same for their performance in Sri Lanka though a little bit lesser because it was in Sri Lanka.
Good job BCCI
Virat Kohli, after the Champions Trophy win, advocated for allowing the family to be with the team during away tours. He even tried an emotional method to somehow convince the BCCI to relent one of their rule.
“I don’t think people have an understanding of what value it brings to a large extent. And I feel quite disappointed about that because it’s like people who have no control over what’s going on are kind of brought into conversations and put out at the forefront that, ‘oh, maybe they need to be kept away’.
“If you ask any player, do you want your family to be around you all the time? You’ll be like, yes. I don’t want to go to my room and just sit alone and sulk. I want to be able to be normal. And then you can really treat your game as something that is a responsibility. You finish that responsibility, and you come back to life,” he added.
BCCI official has said that there will not be any relaxation. For once, I commend the BCCI. To Kohli I would like to say none of these rules would have been even thought about if his own performance or that of the team had not floundered so drastically. It is better to eat the humble pie and carry on with the game. If family is important for him, he may as well retire and go back to his family.
Wrapping up around the field
In the next edition, I will write about Australia’s hypocrisy and how Gambhir plans to go to England with the India A squad.
Old IPL blogs
https://icricketcritique.com/ipl-must-prove-its-worth/
https://icricketcritique.com/midseason-review-of-the-ipl-2023/
https://icricketcritique.com/the-expansion-of-ipl/
https://icricketcritique.com/brand-new-edition-of-ipl/
https://icricketcritique.com/the-see-ball-hit-ball-game/
https://icricketcritique.com/the-ipl-discussion/
