“Very unfair… it is not right”: Gautam Gambhir urges ICC to scrape two new-ball rule

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 22 (ANI): Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to scrape away the two new-ball rule in white-ball cricket as he feels it is unfair to the finger-spinners.

The rule was implemented by the ICC in October 2011 in the ODI format. The new stipulation helps the ball retain its shine and reduces reverse swing as well as the chances of seeing a finger-spinner make an impact.

Gambhir didn’t hold back while discussing the drawbacks of the rule, which leads to a disadvantage to the finger-spinners as it is unfair to them.

“I don’t know what the spirit of cricket is because everyone plays with the right spirit of the game. If there are rules, anyway, there is the spirit of the game. But one thing that I would definitely want to change is to get rid of two new balls,” Gambhir said during an event in Kolkata.

“Especially in white-ball cricket because it is very, very unfair on a finger spinner. It is very unfair on a finger spinner to not be playing enough white-ball cricket because there is nothing for them. It is not right,” he added.

Gambhir went on to urge the ICC to change the rule and provide an equal platform for each player to showcase their respective talents.

“The job of the ICC is to make sure that everyone with their skill should get an equal opportunity to showcase his talent. But when you take that talent from a certain section of players, it is very unfair. Today, you hardly see any finger spinner playing white ball cricket. Why? It’s not them to be blamed it’s ICC that needs to be blamed for it. For me, one thing that I want to get rid of is two new balls because it makes the contest between bat and ball much much more even,” he said.

“There is no reverse swing anymore. There is nothing for a finger spinner or left-arm spinner. So that is one thing that I would want to change, and hopefully, it changes very soon because we need to create that balance between bat and ball,” Gambhir stated.