"The worst thing that has happened in white-ball cricket is the introduction of two new balls" - Gautam Gambhir

Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to scrap the rule of having two new balls for ODIs. He suggested that the rule has been the worst thing in white-ball cricket.

Gambhir opined that the two new-ball rule combined with field restrictions have been a massive disadvantage for finger spinners. Speaking to Ravichandran Ashwin on the latter's YouTube channel, the 42-year-old remarked:

"The worst thing that has happened in white-ball cricket is the introduction of two new balls. And the reason why I say that is, you've taken the entire scale of a finger spinner away from the game. Whether it's a left-arm spinner or whether it's an off-spinner. You've got two new balls. You've got five fielders inside. How do you expect a finger spinner to get anything out of the surface? And how do you expect a finger spinner to be included in the playing 11?"

"That's the worst thing that has happened in white-ball cricket according to me. And it's not that you're sitting next to me. I've said it on Star Sports. I've said it on so many other platforms that you've taken two of the best finger spinners in the world who should have played more white-ball cricket."

Gambhir reckoned that with the game becoming more and more batter-friendly, finger-spin could soon be a forgotten art, adding:

"If you're bowling the 20th over, literally you're bowling with the 10 over new ball, and with five fielders inside, and on a flat track, and with big bats, and with power hitters, and with smaller boundaries, and on top of that DRS. Tell me. And it's not only about you (Ashwin) and Nathan Lyon. It's about what is a job of an ICC is. What is the job of the ICC is that you promote every kind of bowler who wants to become an off spinner or a finger spinner. Tell me how many youngsters going forward who want to take up this finger spin. This art of bowling. Off spin or left-arm spin. No one would want to. Because they know that they've got no future in white-ball cricket."

Gambhir emphasized that instead of using two new balls, the ICC should consider finding a manufacturer who can make a ball that can last 50 overs.

"That's something if it is my way. I'm going to just get rid of it. I love that format or that rule where you had one new ball. See it's not the player's problem. If a ball manufacturer can't keep the ball in good shape for 50 overs, might as well change the ball manufacturer." he added

The ICC introduced the rule of using two new balls in an innings for ODI cricket in July 2011. Several former cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar and Waqar Younis, have spoken against it.

---

"ICC has messed it up" - Gautam Gambhir on the two new-ball rule

Gautam Gambhir mentioned that teams would rely solely on wrist spinners for breakthroughs in the middle overs because of the two new balls. He stated that finger spinners who do not have enough variations won't have a big role to play.

Hoping that the ICC changes the rule soon, Gambhir said:

"On a very serious note, this is the reality that when people talk about taking wickets in the middle innings suddenly they realise that the only wicket takers could be wrist spinners. Unless you've got a carom ball or a flicker but where is that art of bowling genuine off spin or genuine left-arm spin where you can beat people in the air or off the wicket as well because there is nothing off the wicket and you've got five fielders inside. So I think ICC has messed it up. Hopefully, they can change it going forward and have one ball for the entire 50 overs."

Gambhir is currently serving as the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL 2024. The side will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, May 21, in Qualifier 1.