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Cricket PlayersSunil Gavaskar rejects free-hit idea, wants fines on bowlers for no-balls in Tests after Jadeja's repeated mistakes
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar rejected the idea of a free-hit, rather suggesting imposing fines for bowling no-balls in Tests.
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The world expected India to win the second Test against Colombo after the visitors needed just four more wickets on the final day. However, Sonal Dinusha's rear-guard century kept the Shubman Gill-led side at bay, and the second Test of the two-match series eventually ended in a draw. India might have won the series 1-0, keeping the hopes alive of reaching the World Test Championship (WTC) final, but not everything is hunky dory when it comes to the Test lineup.
Ravindra Jadeja refused to learn from his mistakes and kept bowling no-balls in the two-match Test series. Since 2021, the senior left-arm spinner has dished out more than 85 no-balls, and this prompted the spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule to say that maybe the need of the hour is to introduce free hits in Test cricket as well. Not just Jadeja, even Saransh Jain, the debutant, bowled quite a few no-balls in the second innings of the Colombo Test.
However, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar isn't a fan of the idea, saying one shouldn't give away free runs in the longest format. The 1983 World Cup winner added that the problem needs to be fixed quickly, as constant no-balls can change the complexion of the game. He further said that there is no excuse for overstepping the popping crease, as tape is available to mark the run-up before the start of play.
"The no-balls being bowled by the Indian bowlers came in for a fair bit of comment. This has to be looked at urgently because it can change the colour of the game. There are very few aspects of the game that are totally in the players' control, and a batter taking guard and a bowler not bowling a no-ball are two such aspects. Players, when they come for interviews, talk about doing things within their control. Today, with a tape measure available to mark the run-up, there should be no excuses for overstepping the bowling crease," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day.
“The India team spinning coach jokingly said that giving a free hit after a no-ball might help in curbing the offence. Please, let’s not make scoring runs in Test cricket easier for batters with this penalty. As it is, with the restriction on bouncers to two in an over and the boundaries being brought in, run-making has become a little simpler,” he added.
‘Fines’
Instead, Gavaskar wants fines imposed on players every time they overstep the line, with the amount doubled for each subsequent offence. The bowling coach wasn't spared either, saying the support staff member should also be fined half the amount.
“Instead, how about a fine which gets doubled for every further transgression, plus half the amount of the fine for the bowling coach, too. The fines collected can be used for the final team dinner before the boys disperse," wrote Gavaskar.
"There could be other fines too, for example, not backing up for a throw or something else not done on the field, which the whole team can vote on whether to impose or not. This can also be a fun activity and bond the team even more,” he added.
