Bishan Singh Bedi: ICC crackdown on illegal bowling 20 years late

Bishan Singh Bedi

Kolkata, Nov 12 (IANS) Legendary Indian spinner Bishan Singh Bedi on Wednesday said the International Cricket Council's (ICC) recent crackdown on illegal bowling action has come 20 years late.

"The ICC should have acted at least 20 years ago, then the problems that we are having now would never have happened," said Bedi.

A strong critic of the rule allowing bowlers to bend their arm by 15 degrees, Bedi blamed subcontinent cricket boards for illegal bowling action flourishing.

"Remember the Asian subcontinent has four votes. The Doosra and Teesras have evolved from the subcontinent. All these Doosra and Teesras are rubbish," said Bedi asserting that no bowler should be allowed even one degree of elbow bending.

The ICC in a major drive to root out the problem of illegal deliveries, suspended high profile bowlers like Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal, Sri Lanka's Sachitra Senanayake, Zimbabwe's Prosper Utseya and Bangladesh's Sohag Gazi in the last few months.

Talking about other topics, Bedi hailed former India captain Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi for his leadership skills and disapproved modern cricket's exaggerated display of emotions on the field.

Dubbing former captain Sourav Ganguly taking off his shirt after the famous 2002 NatWest series win at Lord's, as "not gentlemanly", Bedi said TV cameras were responsible for the overt display of emotions.

"I've seen a picture of him (Ganguly) taking his shirt off at the Lord's balcony but that was not a gentlemanly thing to do. I tried to lip read what he was saying. I know this enthusiasm has a lot to do with TV cameras," the former left-arm spinner said.

Heaping lavish praise on Pataudi, Bedi said: "He was at least 100 years ahead of his time. Always restrained in his behaviour, he never seemed to be provoked. He was a very proud Indian and would always stress on the fact that we are Indians."