The menace of ball tampering has been tarnishing the image of cricket with the incident involving Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal in the recent St. Lucia Test being yet another addition to the disturbing list.
Leg-spin legend Anil Kumble, who heads the game’s powerful Cricket Committee, said here on Thursday, “It is concerning but the Cricket Committee has recommended sanctions against the offenders.
Those sanctions, before the ICC now, could kick in from October this year after the due process.”
Kumble added, “There will be enough deterrents in place to dissuade anyone from trying to alter the condition of the ball through unfair means.”
It is understood that the ICC could make tampering with the ball a Level 3 offence — a ban of four Tests or eight ODIs — from the present Level 2, where a player is suspended for one Test or two ODIs, whichever comes sooner.
And with the ICC finally giving shape to the much-awaited Test championship, where every point will matter, the Cricket Committee is learnt to have recommended a ‘reserve’ day to make up for any loss of play owing to inclement weather.
Talking about India’s prospects on the campaign in England, Kumble said, “India has a very good chance. It is an all-round side with plenty of experience. Most of the Indian cricketers have played in England before, know the conditions.”
On the conditions during the five-Test series in England, the former Indian captain said, “The series will be in the second half of the English summer. We could still have cloud cover and rain but the pitches should be better for batting and could gradually help the spinners. We have quality spinners and if the conditions are right, two of them could play in the eleven.”
Queried about the much-debated Yo Yo Test, Kumble responded, “It’s about the communication you have with a cricketer.
“If he knows what’s expected of him on the fitness front and what the benchmark is, then what’s the problem?”
The Indian bowlers, he felt, should not have problems with the Duke ball to be used in England.
“There is not much difference between the Duke and the SG ball.”