Sunil Gavaskar suggests strict punishment on no-balls in Test Cricket (Source: AFP)
Mistakes are part of life, but repeated errors are hard to ignore. Similarly, in cricket, one or two no-balls here and there can be accepted, but repeated ones can negatively affect the team, and recently Ravindra Jadeja has been in the limelight for the same in the India vs Sri Lanka two-match Test series.
India needed only four wickets on the final day to complete a series victory against Sri Lanka, but Sonal Dinusha's fighting century saved the match for his team. Shubman Gill-led India won the series 1-0, with concerns over the team's bowling discipline becoming the talk of the town.
Addressing the recent issue, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar proposed a strict rule on bowling no-balls in Tests.
What Stricter Punishment Did Sunil Gavaskar Propose?
Former star player Sunil Gavaskar believes the recurring no-ball issue needs more attention in Test cricket. He argued that bowlers have complete control over whether they cross the bowling crease and said there should be little room for excuses.
It is important to mention that Ravindra Jadeja has bowled more than 85 no-balls since 2021. During the IND vs SL series, he, alongside Saransh Jain, was again among the bowlers who overstepped repeatedly.
Gavaskar also said the matter needs to be addressed quickly because a no-ball can change the direction of a Test match.
"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.
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Why Did Sunil Gavaskar Reject Free-Hit Solution?
Earlier, India's spin bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule had suggested that introducing free-hits in Test cricket can stop bowlers from delivering no-balls. However, Gavaskar did not agree with the idea.
The former opener believes a free-hit would make things easier for batters in a format where batting conditions have already become more favourable.
He therefore feels that Test cricket should not introduce another advantage for the batter simply because a bowler has crossed the line.
“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.
What Is Gavaskar's Proposed Fine Structure And Team Discipline Plan?
It is worth noting that rather than a free-hit, Sunil Gavaskar suggested a financial penalty for every no-ball.
According to him, the fine should double every time the bowler commits another mistake. He also suggested that the bowling coach should pay half the amount of the player's fine.
"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.
The former captain offered a practical use for the money collected through these penalties. He said it could be kept aside for the team's final dinner before the players leave.
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